Meaning & use
hem and haw
To be evasive or hesitant when speaking, often to avoid giving a direct answer.
See it in a sentence
Instead of answering directly, the manager hemmed and hawed about the budget cuts.
Stop hemming and hawing and just tell me whether you can come.
A note on using this word
This informal phrase is almost always used in its verb form, as 'hem and haw,' rather than as a noun.
Words with a similar meaning
waffleequivocate
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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