hem and haw

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Most real estate TV quests are partially faked; many times, the couples have already bought the home they pretend to hem and haw over before choosing it in the end.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2021

He’d rather hem and haw, leaving everybody in limbo, than deliver bad news.

From Washington Post • Nov. 29, 2017

"Winners take bold actions, dominate others and impose their will on the world; losers hem and haw, dither and consult, exercise restraint."

From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2017

Amid all the door-knocking last weekend, most of what voters did was hem and haw.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2015

Hemi is half, hemisphere, hemmed-in, hemlock, hem and haw.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver