hesitated
Faltered before deciding
Hesitated is the past tense of hesitate—to pause before acting or speaking, usually from uncertainty, reluctance, or caution.
She hesitated before answering the question.
He hesitated at the door, unsure whether to knock.
The hesitation may be brief or prolonged, and often signals doubt or second thoughts.
Hesitated and refused
- resistedRefused to yield
- demurredRaised mild objections
- waveredShowed unsteady resolve
- shrankBecame smaller, past tense
flinched · recoiled · hung back · held back · unwilling · averse · disinclined · loath
Came to rest
- stoppedBrought to a halt
- frozeBecame solid or still
- waitedStayed in expectation
- pausedStopped temporarily
stalled · delayed · lingered · faltered · balked · hung back · held back · tarried
Lacked certainty about
- waveredShowed unsteady resolve
- vacillatedChanged mind repeatedly
- second-guessedQuestioned after deciding
- waffledSpoke evasively, indecisively
dithered · equivocated · fluctuated · seesawed · flip-flopped · unsure · indecisive · ambivalent
balked
Hesitated and refused
shrank · flinched · recoiled · hung back · held back · unwilling · averse · disinclined · loath · reticent
halted
Came to rest
paused · stalled · delayed · lingered · faltered · balked · hung back · held back · tarried · dallied
doubted
Lacked certainty about
- waveredShowed unsteady resolve
- vacillatedChanged mind repeatedly
- second-guessedQuestioned after deciding
waffled · dithered · equivocated · fluctuated · seesawed · flip-flopped · unsure · indecisive · ambivalent · irresolute
- taking timewaited, lingered, dawdled, delayed, paused
- second thoughtssecond thoughts, reconsideration, rethinking, change of mind, change of heart
- surrenderedsurrendered, capitulated, yielded, conceded, submitted
hesitatedcontinued
Went on without stopping
pressed on · forged ahead · proceeded · pushed through · carried on
hesitate, hesitation, hesitating, hesitates, hesitations, unhesitating, unhesitatingly, hesitator, hesitators