What is another word for hesitate?

Synonyms for hesitate
ˈhɛz ɪˌteɪthes·i·tate

This thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word hesitate.

Wiktionary3.5 / 2 votes

  1. hesitateverb

    Synonyms:
    stammer, doubt, scruple, demur, falter, waver, mammer, deliberate

  2. hesitateverb

    To stop or pause respecting decision or action; to be in suspense or uncertainty as to a determination.

    Synonyms:
    mammer, deliberate, demur, scruple, falter, stammer, waver, doubt

  3. hesitateverb

    To stammer; to falter in speaking.

    Synonyms:
    deliberate, mammer, scruple, demur, waver, stammer, falter, doubt

  4. hesitateverb

    To utter with hesitation or to intimate by a reluctant manner.

    Synonyms:
    mammer, stammer, waver, deliberate, demur, doubt, falter, scruple

English Synonyms and Antonyms5.0 / 1 vote

  1. hesitate

    To fluctuate (Latin fluctus, a wave) is to move like a wave with alternate rise and fall. A pendulum oscillates; waves fluctuate or undulate; a light or a flame wavers; a frightened steed swerves from his course; a tool or weapon swerves from the mark or line; the temperature varies; the wind veers when it suddenly changes its direction. That which veers may steadily hold the new direction; that which oscillates, fluctuates, undulates, or wavers returns upon its way. As regards mental states, he who hesitates sticks (Latin hærere) on the verge of decision; he who wavers does not stick to a decision; he who vacillates decides now one way, and now another; one vacillates between contrasted decisions or actions; he may waver between decision and indecision, or between action and inaction. Persons hesitate, vacillate, waver; feelings fluctuate or vary. Compare SHAKE.

    Synonyms:
    fluctuate, oscillate, swerve, undulate, vacillate, vary, veer, waver

    Antonyms:
    abide, adhere, hold fast, persist, stand fast, stay, stick

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms3.5 / 2 votes

  1. hesitate

    Synonyms:
    dubitate, waver, demur, scruple, falter, stammer, pause, doubt

    Antonyms:
    decide, determine, run, flow, career

Princeton's WordNet5.0 / 1 vote

  1. hesitate, waver, waffleverb

    pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

    "Authorities hesitate to quote exact figures"

    Synonyms:
    waver, quaver, fluctuate, waffle, weave, quiver, pause, flutter, flicker, flitter, falter, vacillate

  2. hesitate, pauseverb

    interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

    "The speaker paused"

    Synonyms:
    waver, break, pause, intermit, waffle

Matched Categories

Dictionary of English Synonymes0.0 / 0 votes

  1. hesitateverb

    Synonyms:
    pause, delay, demur, doubt, waver, vacillate, be undetermined, stop to consider, be in doubt, be in suspense, be doubtful

  2. hesitateverb

    Synonyms:
    falter, stammer, have an impediment in speech

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words0.0 / 0 votes

  1. hesitateverb

    Synonyms:
    doubt, vacillate, falter, dubitate, waver, scruple, demur, deliberate

PPDB, the paraphrase database0.0 / 0 votes

  1. List of paraphrases for "hesitate":

    waver, dither

How to pronounce hesitate?

How to say hesitate in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

rankingword
#1618break
#3558vary
#3643doubt
#10611pause
#12724hesitate
#15634deliberate
#17716weave
#23670waffle
#29664flicker
#35564fluctuate
#37891flutter
#40610veer
#43658quiver
#56544falter
#60871swerve
#64040waver
#75259dither
#76976oscillate
#106648stammer
#120240scruple
#157222demur
#189583flitter
#204476undulate
#236377quaver
#241885vacillate
#318728intermit

How to use hesitate in a sentence?

  1. President Biden:

    I find that we can both operate in the mutual self-interest of our countries, as a new START agreement, and make it clear to Russia that we are very concerned about their behavior, whether it's Alexei Navalny, whether it's the Solar Winds or whether it's reports of bounties on the heads of Americans in Afghanistan, i have asked the agencies in question to do a thorough read for me on every one of those issues, to update me precisely where they are, and I will not hesitate to raise those issues with the Russians.

  2. Mustafa Alani:

    I think we're going to see a more confrontational policy, faster decision-making and more long-term thinking. A leadership that won't hesitate from any confrontation.

  3. The FBI:

    At this time, there is no specific or credible threat to the United States. We will not hesitate to adjust our security posture, as appropriate, to protect the American people, dHS and the FBI routinely share information with our state, local, federal and international law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security partners, and continually evaluate the level of protection we provide at federal facilities.

  4. State Raffensperger:

    I hesitate to say this because I’m afraid someone might use it against me, but, you know, I have lost a child, and I don’t ever want to go through that again.

  5. Orphe Divounguy:

    This could restrict mortgage lenders’ access to funding sources, resulting in higher rates than Treasuries would otherwise indicate, for borrowers, lending standards were already quite strict, and tighter conditions may make it more difficult for some home shoppers to secure funding. In turn, for home sellers, the time it takes to sell could increase as buyers hesitate.


Translations for hesitate

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"hesitate." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/hesitate>.

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