easy
He was hesitant before raising his hand.
What does Hesitant mean?
Hesitant means unsure or slow to act.
Dictionary definition
Hesitant describes someone who pauses or is unsure before acting or speaking.
Example sentences
Hesitant in a sentence
medium
The new reader felt hesitant at first, then gained confidence.
hard
A hesitant answer may show that someone needs more time to think.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice hesitant in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Hesitant
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does hesitant mean?
The correct answer matches the meaning of hesitant.
Practice 2
Which word is closest in meaning to hesitant?
Uncertain is close in meaning to hesitant.
Practice 3
Which word is most opposite in meaning to hesitant?
Confident contrasts with hesitant.
Practice complete
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You completed 3 questions.
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Hesitant
Voice settings
Sounds like
hez · ih · tunt · strongest beat: hez
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordHesitant.
Partadjective.
MeaningHesitant means unsure or slow to act.
ExampleExample: He was hesitant before raising his hand.
Word breakdown
3 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- hez · ih · tunt
- Strongest beat
- hez
- Ending
- tunt
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on hez.
Your turn
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Synonyms
Words like Hesitant
Antonyms
Opposite words
Synonym practice
Want to practice hesitant synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The student was hesitant to read the poem aloud," then compare close word choices. Practice hesitant synonyms.
Word family
Hesitant word family
Related words
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Student support
Understand Hesitant
Hint for students
Hesitant means unsure or slow to act.
Common mix-up
Hesitant is not the same as confident. Hesitant means hesitant means unsure or slow to act.
Try it in class or at home
Read this model sentence: The new reader felt hesitant at first, then gained confidence. Clue words: new, reader, felt. Underline clue words that show why hesitant fits instead of confident. Now write one new sentence that shows hesitant without using the word hesitant. Ask: Does my sentence clearly show hesitant?
Teacher prompt
Ask students to explain this model sentence: "The new reader felt hesitant at first, then gained confidence." Why does hesitant fit better than confident?
Learning activities
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