hesitation
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a short pause before you do something because you are not sure if it is right.
a momentary delay or pause in action, typically reflecting uncertainty or a lack of confidence.
Simple“After a moment of hesitation, she decided to tell him the truth.”
In context“His slight hesitation before signing the contract suggested that he still harboured significant reservations about the merger terms.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'about' or followed by an infinitive verb.
SynonymsAntonymscertaintydecisiveness - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the feeling of being unable to make a decision.
the state of vacillating between different choices or opinions.
Simple“She answered the difficult question without any hesitation.”
In context“The board's hesitation to invest in new technology allowed their competitors to gain a significant advantage in the market.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrase 'without hesitation' to mean 'immediately and certainly'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
a pause or a struggle while speaking, like a small stutter.
a faltering or involuntary pause in speech, often associated with stammering or searching for words.
Simple“The student's speech was full of hesitations because he was so nervous.”
In context“The transcript noted several long hesitations where the witness appeared to be carefully weighing the legal implications of his statement.”
UsageUsually uncountable when referring to the general quality of a person's speech.
SynonymsAntonyms
From Latin haesitātiōnem, accusative singular of haesitātiō (“hesitating, stammering”), from haesitō (“hesitate”). Displaced native Old English ġewand.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.