hesitant
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- hesitance noun
- hesitantly adverb
- nonhesitant adjective
- nonhesitantly adverb
- unhesitant adjective
- unhesitantly adverb
Etymology
Origin of hesitant
First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin haesitant-, stem of haesitāns “faltering,” present participle of haesitāre “to falter, hesitate,” literally, “to stick repeatedly,” from haerēre “to stick, cling”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Initially Chloe was hesitant to tell friends and family that she was being affected by infertility.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
The lowered guidance stems from ongoing weakness in its network solutions group, particularly hesitant life sciences clients.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
Seeing a scan with calcification can help sway patients on the fence, many of whom are hesitant to take medications like statins, says Khan.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
If Nacua’s off-the-field actions become a pattern that does not reflect well on the organization, are the Rams hesitant to invest in the 24-year-old star who led the NFL with 129 catches?
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Still, the World War I Allies were hesitant to act.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
