What does hesitate mean?
Word: Hesitate
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Hesitate means to pause before you do or say something, because you are unsure, nervous or unwilling.
Synonyms: pause, waver, falter, hold back
Antonyms: act, rush
How do you spell hesitate?
Syllables: hes - i - tate
Tricky part: The s is single; students often double it and write hessitate.
Watch out for: hessitate, hesitait
Memory tip: Hesitate has a single s, like the single short pause it describes.
Idioms and Phrases
- he who hesitates is lost: if you wait too long to decide, you may miss your chance Example: "The last seat on the bus went to the girl who did not wait; he who hesitates is lost."
Hesitate in a sentence
Example 1: Do not hesitate to call me if you need help with the project.
Example 2: Riya hesitated at the edge of the pool before jumping in.
Example 3: He hesitated for a moment and then raised his hand.
Fun Fact
Hesitate comes from Latin haesitare, 'to stick fast'. Someone who hesitates is, in a way, stuck for a moment.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Neha did not hesetate when the coach asked who wanted to bat first.
a) hesetate
b) asked
c) coach
d) first
Show answer
a) hesetate. The vowel after hes is i.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
hesitate
a) proceed
b) stall
c) delay
d) dither
Show answer
a) proceed. Dither, delay and stall are all ways of holding back; to proceed is to go ahead.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) seperate
b) hesitate
c) ocasion
d) accidentaly
Show answer
b) hesitate. Separate has par, accidentally has ally and occasion has a double c.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
setiathe
a) meditate
b) hesitate
c) hesitant
d) agitate
Show answer
b) hesitate. Hesitant has an n, and meditate and agitate have no h.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Ivan stood at the staff-room door for a full minute before he knocked. Why might he have hesitated?
a) the door was painted green
b) he was in a great hurry
c) he felt nervous about going in
d) he had already knocked twice
Show answer
c) he felt nervous about going in
2. 'Please don't hesitate to ask' is a polite way of saying ____.
a) never ask again
b) ask someone else
c) feel free to ask
d) ask only in writing
Show answer
c) feel free to ask
