1
as in reluctance
a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something
his appointment to the superintendency was confirmed by the school board without the least hesitancy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
his hesitancy in pulling over into the next lane while he had a chance resulted in him missing his exit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitancy
Seems to be a hesitancy to their play, consistent with over-thinking.
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Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Fiennes spends much of The Return wallowing in paralyzing indecision, watching and wondering and waiting, but here, his hesitancy is nothing like Conclave’s Lawrence.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024
It’s been nearly a year since No Other Land debuted at the Berlin Film Festival, setting off a chain of hesitancy and urgency around films that address the ongoing conflict between Israeli and Palestine.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025
The internal review blamed privacy restrictions and staff hesitancy for their failure to quickly notify the president and other senior leaders about Austin’s hospitalization.
—Tara Copp and Lolita C. Baldor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitancy
Noun
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But my reluctance to buy a Tesla was due to quality control problems and a lackluster interior for the price.—
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However, some experts say hate speech has proliferated in India as a result of the judiciary’s reluctance to recognize hate speech offenses.—
Noun
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Republican support But other Republicans had no hesitation in backing her.—
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Additionally, Butler had initial hesitation in going to the Bay.—
Noun
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In 2019, when recounting that milestone from her own perspective, McCaskey first recalled the sharp anxiety leading up to the game and her hesitance to answer any of the league’s logistical questions about preparing for the trophy presentation ceremony.—
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Intelligence officials are likely to be concerned about the long-term effect that Trump’s policies will have on their agencies’ roles and authorities, leading to caution and hesitance that harm operational effectiveness.—
Noun
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The program is on pause after legal challenges from states, and the amount of savings its elimination could generate, $150 billion or more, depends on the status of the litigation.—
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An offer sheet for this player would need to be significant to give Bowman pause, so $10 million times seven seasons would need to be a comfort zone for an opposition general manager.—
Cite this Entry
“Hesitancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitancy. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.
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