| Main Entry: | hesitate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | wait; be uncertain |
Synonyms: |
alternate, balance, balk, be irresolute, be reluctant, be unwilling, blow hot and cold, dally, debate, defer, delay, demur, dillydally, dither, doubt, equivocate, falter, flounder, fluctuate, fumble, hang back, hang*, hedge, hem and haw, hold back, hold off, hover, linger, oscillate, pause, ponder, pull back, pussyfoot, scruple, seesaw, shift, shrink, shy away, sit on fence, stammer, stop, straddle, stumble, stutter, swerve, tergiversate, think about, think twice, vacillate, waffle, waver, weigh |
Antonyms: |
attack, carry on, continue, go, go ahead, persevere, resolve |
| Main Entry: | hesitating |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | doubtful |
Synonyms: |
irresolute, skeptical, uncertain, unsure |
| Main Entry: | hesitating |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | slow |
Synonyms: |
dawdling, delaying, wavering |
| Main Entry: | backward |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | bashful |
Synonyms: |
afraid, averse, demure, diffident, disinclined, hesitant, hesitating, humble, indisposed, late, loath, modest, reluctant, reserved, retiring, shy, sluggish, tardy, timid, uneager, unwilling, wavering |
Antonyms: |
aggressive, forward, precocious, unshy |
| Main Entry: | balk |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop short |
Synonyms: |
cramp, crimp, demur, desist, dodge, evade, flinch, hesitate, recoil, refuse, resist, shirk, shrink from, shy, turn down, upset apple cart |
| Main Entry: | broken |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | stuttering in speech |
Synonyms: |
disjointed, halting, hesitant, hesitating, imperfect, incoherent, mumbled, muttered, stammering, unintelligible, weak |
Antonyms: |
continuous, flowing |
| Main Entry: | demur |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disagree |
Synonyms: |
balk, cavil, challenge, combat, complain, deprecate, disapprove, dispute, doubt, fight, hem and haw, hesitate, object, oppose, pause, protest, pussyfoot, refuse, remonstrate, resist, scruple, shy, stick, stickle, strain, take exception, vacillate, wait and see, waver |
| Notes: | demur is the verb 'to object or voice opposition' while demure is the adjective meaning 'modest, shy' |
Antonyms: |
accept, agree, consent, go along |
| Main Entry: | dilly-dally |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | waste time |
Synonyms: |
dawdle, delay, hem and haw, hesitate, linger, loiter, meander, mosey, move slowly, procrastinate, vacillate |
| Main Entry: | disinclined |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | unwilling |
Synonyms: |
afraid, antipathetic, averse, backward, balking, doubtful, dubious, hesitating, indisposed, loath, not in the mood, objecting, opposed, protesting, reluctant, resistant, shy, shying, slow, sticking, uneager, unsympathetic |
Antonyms: |
bent, desirous, disposed, enthusiastic, inclined, leaning, willing |
| Main Entry: | doubt |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | lack confidence in; question |
Synonyms: |
be apprehensive of, be curious, be dubious, be in a quandary, be puzzled, be uncertain, be undetermined, call in question, challenge, demur, disbelieve, discredit, dispute, distrust, fear, fluctuate, give no credence, harbor suspicion, have qualms, hesitate, imagine, impugn, insinuate, misdoubt, misgive, mistrust, not buy, query, read differently, scruple, shilly-shally, skepticize, smell a rat, surmise, suspect, take dim view of, vacillate, waver, wonder at |
Antonyms: |
be certain, believe, not question, rely, trust |