hesitation
Moment of doubt
Hesitation is a pause before acting or speaking, usually from uncertainty or reluctance.
Someone who answers without hesitation responds immediately and confidently.
The verb is hesitate: She hesitated before opening the door.
To do something without a moment's hesitation is to act decisively, with no wavering.
Showing unsteady resolve
- vacillationInability to choose
- ditheringProlonged indecisive hesitation
- wafflingEvasive, indecisive speech
- fence-sittingRefusing to take sides
flip-flopping · irresolution · second-guessing · hemming · hawing · shilly-shallying · equivocation · ambivalence
Temporary cessation of activity
- delayEnforced waiting period
- haltComplete sudden stop
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
- falteringBecoming unsteady or weak
stoppage · lull · suspension · break · interval · hiatus · interruption · standstill
State of being unsure
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- misgivingsFeelings of doubt
- qualmsMoral reservations or unease
suspicion · distrust · incredulity · disbelief · wariness · quandary · reservations · cynicism
State of anxious unease
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
- uneaseMild persistent worry
- jittersNervous agitation
worry · fear · timidity · edginess · butterflies · stage-fright · panic · tension
Speak with involuntary repetitions
- stutterInvoluntary speech repetition
- falteringBecoming unsteady or weak
- stumblingWalking clumsily, almost falling
- umSpoken hesitation marker
uh · er · fumbling · halting · broken · tongue-tied · mumbling · spluttering
Disinclination to act
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- aversionIntense dislike or repugnance
- disinclinationLack of desire
- foot-draggingDeliberate slowness or resistance
demur · reticence · holdback · balking · tepidity · unenthusiasm · half-heartedness · grudging
Thinking deeply about something
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- considerationCareful thought or compensation
- weighingMeasuring mass or heft
thinking · mulling · rumination · evaluation · assessment · calculation · reasoning · thoughtfulness
Careful, wise judgment
- warinessCautious distrust
- carefulnessQuality of being thorough
- circumspectionCareful consideration of consequences
- deliberatenessCareful intention in action
guardedness · vigilance · judiciousness · measured · thoughtfulness · conservatism · hedging
wavering
Showing unsteady resolve
- vacillationInability to choose
- ditheringProlonged indecisive hesitation
- wafflingEvasive, indecisive speech
fence-sitting · flip-flopping · irresolution · second-guessing · hemming · hawing · shilly-shallying · equivocation · ambivalence · tentativeness
pause
Temporary cessation of activity
faltering · stoppage · lull · suspension · break · interval · hiatus · interruption · standstill · freeze
uncertainty
State of being unsure
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- misgivingsFeelings of doubt
qualms · suspicion · distrust · incredulity · disbelief · wariness · quandary · reservations · cynicism · leery
nervousness
State of anxious unease
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
- uneaseMild persistent worry
jitters · worry · fear · timidity · edginess · butterflies · stage-fright · panic · tension · alarm
stammer
Speak with involuntary repetitions
- stutterInvoluntary speech repetition
- falteringBecoming unsteady or weak
- stumblingWalking clumsily, almost falling
um · uh · er · fumbling · halting · broken · tongue-tied · mumbling · spluttering · pausing
unwillingness
Disinclination to act
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- aversionIntense dislike or repugnance
- disinclinationLack of desire
foot-dragging · demur · reticence · holdback · balking · tepidity · unenthusiasm · half-heartedness · grudging · loath
pondering
Thinking deeply about something
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- considerationCareful thought or compensation
weighing · thinking · mulling · rumination · evaluation · assessment · calculation · reasoning · thoughtfulness
prudence
Careful, wise judgment
- warinessCautious distrust
- carefulnessQuality of being thorough
- circumspectionCareful consideration of consequences
deliberateness · guardedness · vigilance · judiciousness · measured · thoughtfulness · conservatism · hedging
- confusionconfusion, confused, bewilderment, perplexity, baffled
- decisionschoice, make a decision, choices, yes, no
- inactioninaction, passivity, doing nothing, stillness, immobility
- indecisionindecision, indecisiveness, conflicted, indecisive, wavering
- inner turmoilinner turmoil, inner conflict, inner struggle, self-doubt, indecision
- Playing it safecaution, prudence, baby steps, waiting, restraint
hesitationresolution
Formal decision or determination
decisiveness · resoluteness · determination · resolve · firmness
hesitationeagerness
Intense willingness to act
alacrity · readiness · willingness · enthusiasm · keenness
hesitationcertainty
Total absence of doubt
confidence · conviction · assurance · certitude · sureness
hesitating, hesitations, unhesitating, unhesitatingly, hesitatingly