noun
hesitation
heh-zih-TAY-shuhn
noun
1
A brief pause caused by uncertainty or reluctance before acting or deciding.
"She answered without hesitation."
"There was a moment of hesitation before he agreed to help."
How to Use Hesitation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA pause or delay caused by doubt about what to do.
Common pairings
without hesitation
a moment of hesitation
show hesitation
Word Forms
hesitations plural
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Etymology
From Latin haesitātiō ("a stammering, hesitating"), from haesitare ("to hesitate").