it was hesitated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was hesitated" is not correct in English.
The correct form would typically be "it was hesitating" or "there was hesitation." Example: "During the meeting, it was hesitating to make a decision on the proposal."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Critical Care

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Seven children (24%) died (6 × MOF and septic shock, 1 × fatal intracerebral hemorrhage) – in three of them (42% mortality rate) it was hesitated for invasive treatment initiation (conservative waiting strategy).

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Internal Toyota documents and dealer service records submitted to the Superior Court of Ontario show that the couple had brought the car to their dealer at least four times because it was hesitating instead of accelerating.

The New York Times

And if it is hesitating, perhaps it should ask for the advice of its readers.

The Guardian - Opinion

He thought I was hesitating because I was a cop.

Huffington Post

To the extent that I'm hesitating it's only because I have, like, brisket in my teeth.

Huffington Post

So I'm hesitating.

Critical Care

The session was not attended by the powerful Muslim Brotherhood, which Suleiman said was hesitating because it opposes talks until Mubarak steps down.

The Guardian

Obama as usual was hesitating.

The New Yorker

But now Tuck was hesitating.

The New York Times - Sports

"I thought he was hesitating," D'Antoni said.

The New York Times - Sports

Brown needed Paul's help, but Paul was hesitating.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the passive voice construction "it was hesitated". Instead, rephrase to focus on who hesitated or to describe the hesitation directly (e.g., "they hesitated", "there was hesitation").

Common error

Don't use "it was hesitated" when you mean to say someone hesitated. This phrasing incorrectly applies the passive voice. Use active voice when possible for clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was hesitated" is an attempt to express a passive construction indicating delay or reluctance. However, it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI indicates the correct forms are "it was hesitating" or "there was hesitation".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was hesitated" is grammatically incorrect, although Ludwig found limited examples of its usage across diverse sources. The correct alternatives include "they hesitated" or "there was hesitation", depending on the intended meaning. Ludwig AI highlights the grammatical issue. While the intent is to describe a pause or reluctance, standard English grammar requires different phrasing for clarity and accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there was hesitation

Rephrases the sentence to focus on the existence of hesitation, rather than using a passive voice with 'hesitated'.

it was delayed

Focuses on the action of delaying something, removing the implication of someone hesitating.

they hesitated

Shifts the focus to the actor who is hesitating, providing a more direct and grammatically standard construction.

there was a delay

Similar to 'there was hesitation', but uses a more general term 'delay'.

a delay occurred

Uses 'occurred' to describe the delay, making it a more formal statement.

they were reluctant

Indicates unwillingness or disinclination to act, rather than a pause.

it was approached with caution

Focuses on the careful manner in which something was handled, implying hesitation.

action was deferred

Suggests the action was postponed, reflecting a form of delay.

they paused

A simple way to indicate a brief stop before proceeding, conveying hesitation.

it met resistance

Implies hesitation due to opposition or difficulty.

FAQs

What is the correct way to express that someone hesitated?

Instead of the incorrect phrase "it was hesitated", use the active voice: "They hesitated". Alternatively, use a noun phrase like "There was hesitation".

What are some alternatives to "it was hesitated"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "there was hesitation", "they hesitated", or "it was delayed".

Is "it was hesitated" grammatically correct?

No, "it was hesitated" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The verb 'hesitate' is typically used intransitively, meaning it does not take a direct object in the passive voice.

What does "it was hesitated" imply, and why is it incorrect?

The phrase attempts to convey that there was a pause or reluctance, but it does so using incorrect grammar. A more suitable way is to state who paused or what caused the hesitation, for example using the phrase "action was deferred".