HESITATED Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 hesitated Incumbents hesitated, but young and diverse civic-minded men and women jumped at a chance to compete on a level playing field for state offices. — Elona Vaisnys, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026 When Kimmel hesitated when guessing Spaghetti & Meatball, Affleck and Ding called upon Ding’s trivia partner Stephen Morrison, who opted not to answer. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026 Natalia, again fearing a trap, hesitated to disembark—until the dawn light revealed the smiling face of the rotund Diego Rivera, flanked by Mexican Trotskyists and government officials. — Literary Hub, 28 July 2026 Early in the bout, Nick Jackson suffered a head injury, which Moxley urged Ospreay to exploit, but Ospreay hesitated. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 When asked if Airbnbs are legal at The Club, Alvarez hesitated. — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026 The French back line hesitated for a brief second, anticipating a potential foul, but Porro pressed the advantage and side-footed a shot past Mike Maignan in the 58th minute for the backbreaking goal. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026 Family described him as a kind and humble man who worked hard and never hesitated to help others. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026 My last bosses had created a toxic work environment in which people hesitated to speak up, question authority, or make mistakes. — Leslie Friday, CNBC, 10 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitated

Verb

But their turnout in Broward, the state’s last big remaining Democratic stronghold, faltered.

— Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026
Summary The Philadelphia Phillies' 2026 season hopes for their back-end rotation and bullpen have faltered, prompting a search for pitching upgrades.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of faltered

Browse Nearby Words

hesitate

hesitated

hesitates

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hesitated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitated. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hesitated

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on hesitated

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

expeditious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes