HESITATINGLY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does hesitatingly mean? 

• HESITATINGLY (adverb)
  The adverb HESITATINGLY has 1 sense:

1. with hesitation; in a hesitant manner

  Familiarity information: HESITATINGLY used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HESITATINGLY (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

With hesitation; in a hesitant manner

Synonyms:

hesitantly; hesitatingly

Context example:

he finally accepted hesitantly

 Context examples 

"Perhaps, then," he hesitatingly replied, "what I heard this morning may be—there may be more truth in it than I could believe possible at first."

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

“I do not know,” said Fanny hesitatingly.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

He answered rather hesitatingly, Yes, I believe I do; very much recovered; but she is altered; there is no running or jumping about, no laughing or dancing; it is quite different.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

“Yes,” said his brother hesitatingly, “there is a likeness. I know what you mean—but Emma's hand is the strongest.”

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

"Yes, of friends," I answered rather hesitatingly: for I knew I meant more than friends, but could not tell what other word to employ.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Arthur stepped forward hesitatingly; Van Helsing said to me:—You were with me here yesterday. Was the body of Miss Lucy in that coffin? "It was."

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

"I thought it was great," he said hesitatingly, "the little I read. I had no idea he was such a—a scoundrel. I guess that crops out in his other books."

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The blowing of the coach-horn in the yard was a seasonable diversion, which made me get up and hesitatingly inquire, in the mingled pride and diffidence of having a purse (which I took out of my pocket), if there were anything to pay.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

She hung her head and answered hesitatingly, “she did not know; she had not any paper.”

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Yes—(rather hesitatingly)—I believe I do.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)