| 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: | 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: | 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: | 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 |
| Main Entry: | falter |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stumble, stutter |
Synonyms: |
be undecided, bobble, break, drop the ball, flounder, fluctuate, fluff, halt, hem and haw, hesitate, lurch, quaver, reel, rock, roll, scruple, shake, speak haltingly, stagger, stammer, stub toe, teeter, topple, totter, tremble, trip up, vacillate, waver, whiffle, wobble |
Antonyms: |
continue, endure, maintain, persist, remain, stay |
| Main Entry: | fluctuate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | vacillate, change |
Synonyms: |
alter, alternate, be undecided, blow hot and cold, ebb and flow, flutter, go up and down, hem and haw, hesitate, oscillate, rise and fall, seesaw, shift, swing, undulate, vary, veer, vibrate, wave, waver, yo-yo |
Antonyms: |
hold, persist, remain, stay |
| Main Entry: | linger |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | loiter, delay |
Synonyms: |
amble, be dilatory, be long, be tardy, crawl, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drift, falter, fool around, fritter away, goof off, hang around, hang out*, hesitate, hobble, idle, lag, loll, lumber, mope, mosey, plod, poke, procrastinate, put off, putter, remain, saunter, shuffle, sit around, slouch, stagger, stay, stick around, stop, stroll, take one's time, tarry, tool, totter, trail, traipse, trifle, trudge, vacillate, wait, wait around |
Antonyms: |
go, hurry, leave, rush |
| Main Entry: | pause |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | wait, delay |
Synonyms: |
break it up, call time, catch one's breath, cease, come to standstill, deliberate, desist, discontinue, drop, halt, hesitate, hold back, interrupt, put on hold, reflect, rest, shake, sideline, stop briefly, suspend, take a break, take a breather, take five, take ten, think twice, waver |
Antonyms: |
continue, persist, restart |
| Main Entry: | procrastinate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | delay, put off doing |
Synonyms: |
adjourn, be dilatory, cool*, dally, dawdle, defer, drag, drag one's feet, give the run around, goldbrick, hang fire, hesitate, hold off, lag*, let slide, linger, loiter, pause, play a waiting game, play for time, poke*, postpone, prolong, protract, retard, shilly-shally, stall, stay, suspend, tarry, temporize, wait |
Antonyms: |
accelerate, advance, complete, do, finish, go ahead, quicken |