hesitant

adjective

hes·​i·​tant ˈhe-zə-tənt How to pronounce hesitant (audio)
: slow to act or proceed (as from fear, indecision, or unwillingness) : tending to hesitate : showing or feeling reluctance or hesitation
took a hesitant step towards the door
hesitant about accepting the job
hesitantly adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for hesitant

disinclined, hesitant, reluctant, loath, averse mean lacking the will or desire to do something indicated.

disinclined implies lack of taste for or inclination.

disinclined to move again
disinclined for reading

hesitant implies a holding back especially through fear or uncertainty.

hesitant about asking for a date

reluctant implies a holding back through unwillingness.

a reluctant witness

loath implies hesitancy because of conflict with one's opinions, predilections, or liking.

seems loath to trust anyone

averse implies a holding back from or avoiding because of distaste or repugnance.

averse to hard work
not averse to an occasional drink

Examples of hesitant in a Sentence

She took a hesitant step back from the door. He seems hesitant about accepting the job.
Recent Examples on the Web For many years, religious Zionist families were hesitant for their sons to fulfill Israel’s mandatory three-year army service, worried that exposure to secular peers would erode their faith. Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Parents have noticed: More than three-quarters (76%) felt that girls were more inclined than boys to be hesitant to develop ideas because of pressure to be perfect. Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 8 Mar. 2024 Historical precedent makes transformer manufacturers hesitant to scale up production too quickly. Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 The door is open to M&A. While many late-stage startups are still hesitant to go public, there are other exit opportunities. David Dewalt, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Throughout the conflict, Kyiv has been hesitant to admit how many soldiers have been killed. Stephanie Halasz, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024 At the time, many artists and labels were still hesitant about embracing the app. Elias Leight, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2024 But Wampler is hesitant to set a price tag until the final designs are chosen. Randy Mason, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2024 County staff have been hesitant to predict what future ridership will look like until passenger models are updated for the era of remote work. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hesitant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see hesitate

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hesitant was in 1647

Dictionary Entries Near hesitant

Cite this Entry

“Hesitant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hesitant. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hesitant

adjective
hes·​i·​tant ˈhez-ə-tənt How to pronounce hesitant (audio)
: tending to hesitate : slow to act or proceed
hesitantly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on hesitant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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