hesitates
Stalls before deciding
Hesitates is the third-person singular of hesitate, meaning to pause before acting or speaking, usually from uncertainty or reluctance.
Someone who hesitates wavers or holds back: She hesitates before answering difficult questions.
The word suggests a moment of doubt or indecision: He who hesitates is lost.
Temporary cessations of activity
- waversFails to decide
- faltersLoses steadiness or confidence
- vacillatesFluctuates between positions
- dithersHesitates with agitation
waffles · second-guesses · doubts · deliberates · ponders · weighs · considers · mulls
Speaks with involuntary pauses
- stuttersSpeaks with repetitions
- faltersLoses steadiness or confidence
- stumblesWalks unsteadily, nearly falling
- pausesTemporary cessations of activity
mumbles · halting · tongue-tied · speechless · ums · swallows · chokes · mid-sentence
Decreases in size
- balksStops short, unwilling
- flinchesInvoluntary recoil movements
- recoilsDraws back suddenly
- cowersShrinks from fear
freezes · trembles · dreads · anxiety · trepidation · nerve · courage · timidity
Internal moral sense
- qualmsMoral reservations or unease
- scruplesMoral reservations about acting
- misgivingsFeelings of doubt
- reservationsDoubts or advance bookings
ethical · dilemma · conflicted · torn · wrestling · guilt · principles · integrity
pauses
Temporary cessations of activity
- waversFails to decide
- faltersLoses steadiness or confidence
- vacillatesFluctuates between positions
dithers · waffles · second-guesses · doubts · deliberates · ponders · weighs · considers · mulls · stalls
stammers
Speaks with involuntary pauses
- stuttersSpeaks with repetitions
- faltersLoses steadiness or confidence
- stumblesWalks unsteadily, nearly falling
pauses · mumbles · halting · tongue-tied · speechless · ums · swallows · chokes · mid-sentence · fumbles
shrinks
Decreases in size
cowers · freezes · trembles · dreads · anxiety · trepidation · nerve · courage · timidity · reluctance
conscience
Internal moral sense
- qualmsMoral reservations or unease
- scruplesMoral reservations about acting
- misgivingsFeelings of doubt
reservations · ethical · dilemma · conflicted · torn · wrestling · guilt · principles · integrity · values
hesitatesdecides
Reaches a conclusion
commits · acts · resolves · takes the plunge · jumps in
hesitate, hesitation, hesitating, hesitated, hesitations, unhesitating, unhesitatingly, hesitator, hesitators