Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense hesitates, present participle hesitating, past tense, past participle hesitated
1. verb
If you hesitate, you do not speak or act for a short time, usually because you are uncertain, embarrassed, or worried about what you are going to say or do.
The phone rang. Catherine hesitated, debating whether to answer it. [VERB]
She hesitated a long time and then she said 'Yes'. [VERB]
Synonyms: waver, delay, pause, haver [British] More Synonyms of hesitate
Asked if he would go back, Mr Searle said after some hesitation, 'I'll have to thinkabout that.'
Mirella approached him and, after a brief hesitation, shook his hand.
Synonyms: delay, pausing, uncertainty, stalling More Synonyms of hesitate
Synonyms: reluctance, reservation(s), misgiving(s), ambivalence More Synonyms of hesitate
2. verb
If you hesitateto do something, you delay doing it or are unwilling to do it, usually because you are not certain it would be right. If you do not hesitateto do something, you do it immediately.
Some parents hesitate to do this because they suspect their child is exaggerating. [VERB to-infinitive]
I hesitated to apply the word 'vulnerable' to him but it came into my mind. [VERB to-infinitive]
I will not hesitate to take unpopular decisions. [VERB to-infinitive]
Synonyms: be reluctant, be unwilling, shrink from, think twice More Synonyms of hesitate
3. verb [with neg]
You can use hesitate in expressions such as 'don't hesitate to call me' or 'don't hesitate to contact us' when you are telling someone that they should do something as soon as it needs to be done and should not worry about disturbing other people.
In the event of difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer ServiceDepartment. [VERB to-infinitive]
Please don't hesitate to tell either Mr Schrader or myself should you feel ill again.
Do not hesitate to laugh at anything you find amusing. [VERB to-infinitive]
More Synonyms of hesitate
hesitate in British English
(ˈhɛzɪˌteɪt)
verb(intransitive)
1.
to hold back or be slow in acting; be uncertain
2.
to be unwilling or reluctant (to do something)
3.
to stammer or pause in speaking
Derived forms
hesitater (ˈhesiˌtater) or hesitator (ˈhesiˌtator)
noun
hesitatingly (ˈhesiˌtatingly)
adverb
hesitation (ˌhesiˈtation)
noun
hesitative (ˈhesiˌtative)
adjective
Word origin
C17: from Latin haesitāre, from haerēre to cling to
hesitate in American English
(ˈhɛzɪˌteɪt)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈhesiˌtated or ˈhesiˌtating
1.
to stop because of indecision; pause or delay in acting, choosing, or deciding because of feeling unsure; waver
2.
to pause; stop momentarily
3.
to be reluctant; not be sure that one should
hesitating to ask
4.
to pause continually in speaking; stammer
Derived forms
hesitater (ˈhesiˌtater)
noun or ˈhesiˌtator
hesitatingly (ˈhesiˌtatingly)
adverb
Word origin
< L haesitatus, pp. of haesitare, to stick fast, hesitate, intens. of haerere, to stick, cleave < IE base *ghais-, to be stuck, neglect > prob. Lith gaištù, to neglect
Examples of 'hesitate' in a sentence
hesitate
It appeared to move slowly and then hesitate.
The Sun (2016)
All cardholders should keep a close eye on their rates and not hesitate to dispute outrageous increases.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Quotations
You can hesitate before deciding, but not once the decision is madeJosé BergamínEl cohete y la estrella
It's all right to hesitate if you then go aheadBertolt BrechtThe Good Woman of Setzuan
He who hesitates is lost
In other languages
hesitate
British English: hesitate /ˈhɛzɪˌteɪt/ VERB
If you hesitate, you pause slightly while you are doing something or just before you do it, usually because you are uncertain, embarrassed, or worried.
She hesitated before replying.
American English: hesitate
Arabic: يَتَرَدَّدُ
Brazilian Portuguese: hesitar
Chinese: 犹豫
Croatian: oklijevati
Czech: váhat
Danish: tøve
Dutch: aarzelen
European Spanish: vacilar
Finnish: epäröidä
French: hésiter
German: zögern
Greek: διστάζω
Italian: esitare
Japanese: ためらう
Korean: 주저하다
Norwegian: nøle
Polish: zawahać się
European Portuguese: hesitar
Romanian: a ezita
Russian: колебаться
Latin American Spanish: vacilar
Swedish: tveka
Thai: ลังเลใจ
Turkish: duraksamak
Ukrainian: вагатися
Vietnamese: do dự
Chinese translation of 'hesitate'
hesitate
(ˈhɛzɪteɪt)
vi
犹(猶)豫 (yóuyù)
I would hesitate to say yes at this stage我目前还(還)不太想给(給)肯定的答复(復) (wǒ mùqián hái bù tài xiǎng gěi kěndìng de dáfù)
he did not hesitate to take action他毫不迟(遲)疑地采(採)取了行动(動) (tā háo bù chíyí de cáiqǔ le xíngdòng)
don't hesitate to contact me请(請)务(務)必和我联(聯)系(繫) (qǐng wùbì hé wǒ liánxì)
1 (verb)
Definition
to be slow and uncertain in acting
She hesitated, debating whether to answer the phone.
Synonyms
waver
Some military commanders wavered over whether to support the coup.
delay
pause
He paused briefly before answering.
haver (British)
wait
doubt
Stop doubting and start loving.
falter
I have not faltered in my quest for a new future.
be uncertain
dither mainly British)
We're still dithering over whether to go away on holiday next week.
vacillate
She is vacillating over whether or not to marry him.
equivocate
temporize
`Not exactly, sir,' he temporized.
hum and haw
shillyshally (informal)
swither (Scottish, dialect)
Opposites
decide
,
be confident
,
be firm
,
be decisive
,
continue
2 (verb)
Definition
to be reluctant (to do something)
I will not hesitate to take unpopular decisions.
Synonyms
be reluctant
be unwilling
shrink from
think twice
boggle
Many people boggled at engaging in a full-scale war.
scruple
demur
At first I demurred when he asked me to do it.
hang back
His closest advisors believe he should hang back no longer.
be disinclined
balk or baulk
Opposites
resolve
,
be determined
3 (verb)
Definition
to pause during speech because of uncertainty
Synonyms
stumble
His voiced wavered and he stumbled over his words.
fumble
I fumbled around like an idiot.
stammer
She stammered her way through an introduction.
stutter
I was trembling so hard, I thought I would stutter when I spoke.
hem and haw or hum and haw
Quotations
You can hesitate before deciding, but not once the decision is made [José Bergamín – El cohete y la estrella]It's all right to hesitate if you then go ahead [Bertolt Brecht – The Good Woman of Setzuan]
proverb
He who hesitates is lost
Additional synonyms
in the sense of boggle
Definition
to hesitate or be evasive when confronted with a problem
Many people boggled at engaging in a full-scale war.
Synonyms
hesitate,
falter,
waver,
dither (British),
shrink,
jib,
demur,
vacillate,
hang back,
shy
in the sense of demur
Definition
to show reluctance
At first I demurred when he asked me to do it.
Synonyms
object,
refuse,
protest,
doubt,
dispute,
pause,
disagree,
hesitate,
waver,
balk,
take exception,
cavil
in the sense of dither
Definition
to be uncertain or indecisive
We're still dithering over whether to go away on holiday next week.