hem and haw

intransitive-verb
UK: /ˌhem ən ˈhɔː/
US: /ˌhem ən ˈhɔː/

  1. To avoid giving a clear or direct answer; to be indecisive or hesitant in speaking.

    1. I asked him, but he just hemmed and hawed.
    2. The politician continued to hem and haw when questioned about the scandal.

Synonyms

waver stall equivocate hedge dither vacillate
hem and haw noun

  1. A state of hesitation or indecision, often expressed through vague or evasive language.

    1. After much hem and haw, she finally agreed.
    2. There was a lot of hem and haw before they made a decision on the project.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "hem and haw" is /ˌhem ən ˈhɔː/ in British English and /ˌhem ən ˈhɔː/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "hem and haw": waver, stall, equivocate, hedge, dither, vacillate.

Example usage of "hem and haw": "I asked him, but he just hemmed and hawed.". More examples on the page.