hesitate
Pause before acting
To hesitate is to pause before acting, usually from uncertainty, reluctance, or caution: She hesitated before answering the question.
The pause may be brief—a moment's doubt—or prolonged enough to miss an opportunity: He who hesitates is lost.
To say you wouldn't hesitate to do something emphasizes your willingness or confidence.
Hesitate or fluctuate
- vacillateWaver between choices
- ditherNervous inability to choose
- equivocateSpeak vaguely to mislead
- hem and hawSpeak evasively, delay deciding
shilly-shally · oscillate · fence-sitting · flip-flop · teeter · waffle · falter · fluctuate
Think deeply about
- considerThink about carefully
- contemplateConsider something thoroughly
- weighDetermine mass or ponder
- evaluateDetermine value or quality
think · reflect · mull over · assess · deliberate · reason · analyze · cogitate
Oppose or refuse compliance
- shrinkDecrease in size
- recoilBackward force from discharge
- balkRefuse to proceed
- demurVoice formal disagreement
hold back · shy away · drag feet · hang back · reticence · disinclination · unwillingness · aversion
Not firmly known
- unsureLacking confidence or certainty
- haltingMarked by hesitation
- falteringBecoming unsteady or weak
- tentativeUncertain and provisional
unconfident · diffident · timid · unassertive · insecure · gingerly · cautious · guarded
State of being unsure
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- misgivingsFeelings of doubt
- qualmMomentary moral hesitation
- reservationAdvance arrangement to hold
questioning · suspicion · distrust · disbelief · dubiousness · incredulity · leery · wary
waver
Hesitate or fluctuate
- vacillateWaver between choices
- ditherNervous inability to choose
- equivocateSpeak vaguely to mislead
hem and haw · shilly-shally · oscillate · fence-sitting · flip-flop · teeter · waffle · falter · fluctuate · ambivalence
stop
Cease all motion
hold · break · beat · stall · delay · falter · hold back · pull up short · hang back · balk
ponder
Think deeply about
- considerThink about carefully
- contemplateConsider something thoroughly
- weighDetermine mass or ponder
evaluate · think · reflect · mull over · assess · deliberate · reason · analyze · cogitate · ruminate
resist
Oppose or refuse compliance
demur · hold back · shy away · drag feet · hang back · reticence · disinclination · unwillingness · aversion · loath
uncertain
Not firmly known
tentative · unconfident · diffident · timid · unassertive · insecure · gingerly · cautious · guarded · provisional
uncertainty
State of being unsure
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- misgivingsFeelings of doubt
- qualmMomentary moral hesitation
reservation · questioning · suspicion · distrust · disbelief · dubiousness · incredulity · leery · wary · unconvinced
trepidation
Fearful uncertainty
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- timidityFearful lack of courage
nervousness · dread · fearful · afraid · scared · worried · uneasy · fretful · panicky · alarmed
- stallingstall, stalling, delay, procrastinate, dawdle
- intransitivesarrive, come, depart, die, disappear
- waitingwait, await, bide, hold on, hang on
- inaction verbswait, pause, rest, stop, stay
- Think twicereconsider, rethink, second-guess, reevaluate, pause
- avoidance wordsavoid, evade, dodge, sidestep, elude
hesitatedecide
Reach a conclusion
resolve · determine · conclude · commit · make up one's mind
- vaccine hesitancyReluctance to accept immunization
- without hesitation
hesitant, hesitation, hesitating, hesitancy, hesitantly, hesitated, hesitates, hesitations, unhesitating