Synonyms of hesitated

hesitated

verb

past tense of hesitate

as in faltered

to show uncertainty about the right course of action

I didn't hesitate to tell them that what they were doing was wrong and that I wanted no part of it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• faltered
• waited
• paused
• vacillated
• scrupled
• dithered
• debated
• wavered
• hung back
• halted
• staggered
• swayed
• wobbled
• lingered
• pondered
• teetered
• balanced
• procrastinated
• hawed
• delayed
• dawdled
• deliberated
• shilly-shallied
• hemmed
• weighed
• equivocated
• considered
• waffled
• backed down
• dallied
• hedged
• chickened (out)
• oscillated
• pussyfooted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decided
• plunged (in)
• continued
• stirred
• dived (in)
• advanced
• budged

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hesitated

Teammates excitedly jumped off the bench, then hesitated when Thiero’s right knee appeared to buckle awkwardly under him. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Montgomery hesitated in front of Lee before cutting inside to leave Lee one-on-one with a defender streaking toward the end zone. — Pj Green september 27, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026

The governor, however, has not hesitated to draw an unpopular president into the campaign. — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026

Many people would have hesitated before taking them on as tenants, housemates, or clients. — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Watching the spray of flames and the boiling smoke, the hack hesitated for a moment. — Peter Wilkinson, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Some in Europe hesitated when the United States launched its war on Iran without consulting them. — ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026

Though her books continue to be adapted into movies and recurring series, Moriarty has always hesitated to write a sequel. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

The driver hesitated on the street for a moment before driving away. — Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026