The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word DUBIOUSLY
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
D
U
B
I
O
U
S
L
Y
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Hesitantly" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hesitantly = dubiously.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DUBIOUSLY mean?
DUBIOUSLY adverb- In a dubious manner.
- Accompanied by doubt, or anxious uncertainty.