# hesitant vs hesitate

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### hesitant
*adjective · IPA /ˈhɛzɪtənt/ · frequency rank #16,933*
Tending to hesitate, wait, or proceed with caution or reservation.

### hesitate
*verb · IPA /ˈhɛz.ɪ.teɪt/ · frequency rank #9,759*
To stop or pause respecting decision or action; to be in suspense or uncertainty as to a determination.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hesitant-vs-hesitate