haltingly

Examples

• All

• "What did you, um," Myrmeen said haltingly, "what did you want to tell me?"

  Fiction book (1992)

• Hadley nudged Josh and, haltingly, they walked closer.

  Fiction book (1993)

• Why do you speak so haltingly?

  Cyrano (2021)

• "But I read a review about that..." said Dennis haltingly.

  Fiction book (1996)

• "Well, Mrs.," he haltingly started, "women can't own property in this town."

  Fiction book (2000)

• When I spoke Japanese, even haltingly, they beamed with pride, as if I were their child learning her first words.

  Fiction book (1996)

• "Are you all right, Madame Passano?" he asked haltingly.

  Fiction book (2002)

• "There's one other thing we'd like to ask," Shirley said haltingly.

  Fiction book (1999)

• Paul spoke haltingly at first, approaching unfamiliar words like treacherous currents.

  Fiction book (1997)

• He spoke haltingly, unsure of how to express his feelings.

Synonyms

T

tentatively

vshaltingly

27 5.1

In a way that shows hesitation or not being sure

is more about hesitant pauses than cautious provisional action

H

hesitantly

vshaltingly

10 3.2

In a slow, unsure way because of doubt

is the same but often tied specifically to lack of confidence

T

timidly

vshaltingly

5 3.2

Move or speak in a shy, nervous way because of low confidence

emphasizes stopping and pausing rather than general shyness

T

tremulously

vshaltingly

1 8.1

To speak or move in a shaky, nervous way

focuses on stopping and pausing more than on physical shakiness

H

hesitatingly

vshaltingly

1 6.1

In a slow, unsure way that shows doubt

is equivalent in meaning but emphasizes pauses from low confidence

F

falteringly

vshaltingly

1 7.4

In a slow, unsure way that shows little confidence

focuses more on intermittent pauses rather than general unsteadiness

T

timorously

vshaltingly

• Formal

1 8.2

To act in a shy and scared way

relates more to pause-filled uncertainty than to fearfulness

U

unsurely

vshaltingly

1 4.1

In a way that shows someone is not sure

highlights pauses as the main sign of that lack

F

fumblingly

vshaltingly

1 6.7

In a clumsy, hesitant way when someone moves or speaks

centres on hesitating pauses rather than physical awkwardness

W

waveringly

vshaltingly

1 7.5

With an unsteady, unsure voice or movement that shows doubt

is about pausing and hesitancy rather than physical trembling

S

stutteringly

vshaltingly

1 7.1

In a stopping and starting way with short repeated pauses

covers pauses more generally, not only speech repetition

T

trepidly

vshaltingly

1 9.9

To do something in a nervous or afraid way

is hesitant mainly from uncertainty, not necessarily from fear

Antonyms

C

confidently

33 2.9

In a way that shows a person is sure and not afraid

How Hesitant

brokenly

1 4.9

haltingly

3 7.4

hesitantly

10 3.2

tentatively

27 5.1

fluently

13 3.0

smoothly

132 2.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology