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hesitate

Meaning in simple English, pronunciation and examples

Pronunciation: US /ˈhɛzɪteɪt/

Forms: hesitated

hesitate means: To pause before doing or saying something because you are unsure or worried.

verb

PAUSE UNCERTAINLYB1

To pause before doing or saying something because you are unsure or worried.

  • She hesitated before answering.
  • Do not hesitate to ask for help.
  • He hesitated over which shirt to buy.

How to use it: hesitate to do something (I hesitated to tell her the news.); hesitate before doing something (He hesitated before opening the door.); hesitate over something (She hesitated over the final decision.)

Similar words: pause, waver

Common phrases: hesitate to ask, hesitate for a moment

Questions about hesitate

What does hesitate mean?

To pause before doing or saying something because you are unsure or worried.

What is hesitate in other languages?

Türkçe: tereddüt etmek · Español: vacilar · Français: hésiter · Deutsch: zögern · Italiano: esitare · 日本語: ためらう

How do you pronounce hesitate?

It is pronounced /ˈhɛzɪteɪt/.

How do you use hesitate in a sentence?

She hesitated before answering. Do not hesitate to ask for help.

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hesitate in other languages

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