reluctant

[ ri-luhk-tuhnt ]
See synonyms for reluctant on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. unwilling; disinclined: a reluctant candidate.

  2. struggling in opposition.

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Origin of reluctant

1
First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin reluctant- (stem of reluctāns ), present participle of reluctārī; see reluct, -ant

synonym study For reluctant

1. Reluctant, loath, averse describe disinclination toward something. Reluctant implies some sort of mental struggle, as between disinclination and sense of duty: reluctant to expel students. Loath describes extreme disinclination: loath to part from a friend. Averse, used with to and a noun or a gerund, describes a long-held dislike or unwillingness, though not a particularly strong feeling: averse to an idea; averse to getting up early.

Opposites for reluctant

Other words from reluctant

  • re·luc·tant·ly, adverb
  • half-re·luc·tant, adjective
  • un·re·luc·tant, adjective

Words that may be confused with reluctant

Words Nearby reluctant

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How to use reluctant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for reluctant

reluctant

/ (rɪˈlʌktənt) /


adjective
  1. not eager; unwilling; disinclined

  2. archaic offering resistance or opposition

Origin of reluctant

1
C17: from Latin reluctārī to resist; see reluct

Derived forms of reluctant

  • reluctantly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012