noun

the action of pausing before saying or doing something.

she answered without hesitation

pausing,delay,hanging back,waiting,shilly-shallying,dithering,stalling,temporizing,temporization,uncertainty,hesitancy,hesitance,unsureness,doubt,doubtfulness,dubiousness,irresolution,irresoluteness,indecision,indecisiveness,equivocation,vacillation,oscillation,wavering,scepticism,nervousness,second thoughts,havering,humming and hawing,swithering,dilly-dallying,blowing hot and cold,dubiety,incertitude,cunctation