hesitation
gb/hˌɛzɪtˈeɪʃən/ us/hˌɛzɪtˈeɪʃən/
B1
Anglais
~ 4000
Sens
0 sens
Nom
B1
state
1
Pause caused by uncertainty
A short stop before doing or saying something because you are not sure or do not want to.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] shows hesitation before [doing something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'hesitation' with 'pause', but 'hesitation' specifically suggests uncertainty or reluctance, not just any stop.
Synonymes
pause (A general stop in action, not necessarily caused by uncertainty.)
|
reluctance (Emphasizes unwillingness rather than the act of pausing itself.)
Antonymes
decisiveness (Shows quick and firm decision-making without delay.)
|
confidence (The feeling that removes the need for hesitation.)
Collocations
without hesitation
|moment of hesitation
|slight hesitation
|show hesitation
|after some hesitation
Thèmes
emotions
|communication
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- She answered without hesitation, confident in her choice.
- After a brief hesitation, he stepped onto the stage.
- There was a moment of hesitation before she knocked on the door.
- His hesitation made everyone wonder if he was hiding something.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He spoke without hesitation.
- After a short hesitation, she said yes.
- I saw his hesitation before he started.
- There was no hesitation in her voice.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
hesitation
API
GB/hˌɛzɪtˈeɪʃən/
US/hˌɛzɪtˈeɪʃən/
Syllabes et accentuation
hes - it - a - tion (4 syllabes)
Stress on 3rd syllable (a)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: hesitation
- Plural: hesitation, hesitations
Famille de mots
Forms
hesitations
noun
Core family
Related words
hesitancy
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unhesitating
adjective
unhesitatingly
adverb
Expressions
after some hesitation
1/ˈæftɚ sˈʌm hˌɛzɪtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Following a pause from doubt
After waiting or pausing because you are not sure what to do.
Exemples
- After some hesitation, she decided to tell the truth.
- He agreed to help after some hesitation.
show hesitation
1/ʃˈoʊ hˌɛzɪtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Display signs of uncertainty
To act in a way that shows you are not sure about what to do.
Exemples
- He showed hesitation before signing the contract.
- She showed no hesitation when asked to speak.
without hesitation
1/wɪðˈaʊt hˌɛzɪtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Immediately and confidently
To do something right away and with confidence, without stopping to think or doubt.
Exemples
- She accepted the job offer without hesitation.
- Without hesitation, he jumped into the water to save the child.
without hesitation
2/wɪðˈaʊt hˌɛzɪtˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Do something immediately and confidently
To do something right away without stopping to think or doubt.
Exemples
- She accepted the offer without hesitation.
- He jumped into the water without hesitation.