hesitant
73
3.2
- adjective
- /ˈhɛzɪtənt/
:
vacilante
- She felt hesitant to speak in front of the large crowd at the event.
- hesitant to trust
- hesitant to discuss
- hesitant to use
I'm very hesitant to trust science on sleep.
- I'm very hesitant to trust science on sleep.
- OK, so everybody's always hesitant to change, you know, nobody.
- But as time goes on and you experience more, you become more hesitant, you become more cautious.
- But from what I gather, she was hesitant.
- Unfortunately, the Fed's actions were hesitant and small.
- And so I would be hesitant because it creates that obligation for the company.
- So I was not hesitant to pick these up.
Examples
-
So people are hesitant to let us in there.
-
I'm not aware of that being the case, but I'm hesitant to say that it's not true.
-
I was almost hesitant to call this morning.
-
And then he wanted to continue the show, but I was hesitant because of everything that happened.
-
While she was having coffee, she heard a soft, hesitant voice speak her name.
Fiction book (1991) -
Some students were more hesitant to speak with me during the first set of interviews than others.
Academic text (2015) -
A "fear factor" makes many teachers hesitant about attempting to learn to use new technology.
Academic text (2013) -
The lighting was bright, and the audience was a little hesitant to cheer during performances.
Academic text (2011) -
Moreover, older parents frequently feel hesitant about placing a burden on their children.
Academic text (1993) -
"I'm always sad." Her voice was higher, hesitant, with a trace of a lisp.
Fiction book (1992)
Synonyms
247
3.5
Not willing to do something because you feel unsure
60
3.5
Shy and afraid to do new or risky things
43
3.9
Not feeling sure or confident
17
7.9
Not willing to talk about thoughts or feelings easily
7
7.9
Feeling nervous about doing something because of a past bad experience
1
8.6
Feeling nervous and lacking confidence in new situations
1
8.2
Not able to make clear decisions quickly
1
3.4
Slow to speak or act because unsure what to do
Not firm in what someone says and does
Hesitating and unsure about a decision or action
Not confident and acting unsure
Antonyms
How Hesitant
Surface Forms
Morphology
hesitant = hesitate (semi-transparent) = hesit + ant
The meaning is closely related to 'hesitate', but the adjective-forming pattern with '-ant' is less obvious and less productive for many learners than more common suffixes.
Etymology
The word hesitant comes from the old Latin verb haerere, which meant 'to stick'. Imagine being 'stuck' for a moment. That image explains why being hesitant means pausing or acting slowly because you are unsure.