HESITATES Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

hesitates

verb

present tense third-person singular of hesitate

as in falters

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

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of hesitates Much of the film plays out in close-up as Alex watches, plays, thinks, hesitates. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026 If an employee hesitates or overcommits, avoid making assumptions or asking defensive questions. — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Your vehicle hesitates when shifting gears A short pause or delay between pressing the gas and your car responding is an early sign of transmission trouble. — Michael Kurko, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026 If someone hesitates, gently restate the goal and offer one reasonable option while staying loyal to your own needs. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2026 In Spearfish, Yu hesitates over a set of cow grates and dumps her bike at low velocity. — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026 Hassan hesitates over an undercooked backpass, Haaland smells blood, and Iraq are toast. — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 24 June 2026 And yet, even after years of success in other projects like Scooby-Doo, Scream 2, and Cruel Intentions, Gellar still hesitates when splurging on expensive items. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 June 2026 Passengers swear and cry in multiple languages; at Gracie Mansion, an unpopular mayor hesitates to address the public for fear of being booed. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitates

Verb

Lucy’s constant sense of invention sometimes falters under the album’s new, megawatt spotlight, lacking the enticing mystery that gives their best music its power.

— H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
Power play falters For the first time this season, the Oilers power play was a no-show, going 0-for-3 in the first period.

— Janson Duench, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of falters

Verb

The department’s administrative case runs on its own timeline under Chapter 302 of the Missouri Revised Statutes while the criminal prosecution moves through court, and neither one waits for the other.

— Karen Koehler, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
But mental health challenges do not pause while the organization waits.

— Stephen Sokoler, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of waits

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hesitated

hesitates

hesitating

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“Hesitates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitates. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hesitates

verb

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