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

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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 hesitated While its lawyers have not hesitated to send cease-and-desist letters to AI companies, Disney is among the big media companies looking for ways to get in the AI game and profit from its boom. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 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 Fisher hesitated to say at what reservoir storage threshold the utility would consider lifting watering restrictions. — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 5 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitated

Verb

On top of all of that, the AI trade faltered this week amid growing concerns that some companies are issuing too much debt to build out their AI networks.

— Fred Imbert, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
This week a deal for Volta Infrastructure faltered as investors feeling full-up on data center debt demanded higher yields.

— Ellen DiMauro, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of faltered

Verb

Despite the warnings, the couple allegedly waited eight hours before seeking medical help when their daughter, Aurora Williams, began experiencing serious medical distress in May.

— Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
On New Year’s Eve 1999, while the world waited to see whether the Y2K bug would knock out computer systems at midnight, Tim Walsh was looking at an apartment near Times Square.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of waited

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hesitate

hesitated

hesitates

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“Hesitated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitated. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hesitated

verb

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