Word
hesitant
Phoneticshes·i·tant, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhɛzɪtənt/
UK/hˈɛsɪtənt/
Definition
adj. slow to speak or act because you feel unsure or nervous. You might feel this way when you are worried about making a mistake.
adj. showing or feeling a lack of certainty or willingness; tentative in manner or action. Often used predicatively after a linking verb.
Examples
“She was hesitant to answer the phone.”
“The committee was hesitant to approve the new budget without seeing a more detailed breakdown of the costs.”
“Investors remained hesitant throughout the fiscal quarter, waiting for a clearer signal from the central bank before committing to any large-scale acquisitions.”
Examples
simple
“She was hesitant to answer the phone.”
contextual
“The committee was hesitant to approve the new budget without seeing a more detailed breakdown of the costs.”
complex
“Investors remained hesitant throughout the fiscal quarter, waiting for a clearer signal from the central bank before committing to any large-scale acquisitions.”
Usage
Commonly followed by a 'to' + infinitive construction or the preposition 'about'.
Pitfall
he was hesitant of the plan
he was hesitant about the plan
The adjective 'hesitant' typically pairs with 'about' or 'to', not 'of'.
Real-World Examples
“It seemed a decent move at the time, but he quickly found himself with a college coach hesitant to release him to attend youth national team camps.” “Beijing, Iran’s largest trading partner, has been hesitant to get involved.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin haesitans, present participle of haesitare (“to stick fast, to hesitate”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/hesitant