loath

American  

[lohth, lohth] / loʊθ, loʊð /

Or loth

adjective

1. unwilling; reluctant; disinclined; averse.

   to be loath to admit a mistake.

   Antonyms:

   eager

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loath British  

/ ləʊθ /

adjective

1. (usually foll by to) reluctant or unwilling

2. willing

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Usage

What’s the difference between loath and loathe? Loath is an adjective that means unwilling, reluctant, or disinclined, as in They are loath to get involved in such a messy situation. Loathe is a verb that means to hate or feel extreme disgust toward, as in I loathe the way he treats his dog or My kids loathe broccoli.  Loathe always rhymes with the verb clothe. Loath can be pronounced this way, but it can also rhyme with both. Loath is only ever used as an adjective, and loathe is only ever used as a verb. Both words are generally negative, but loathe is much more negative. Loathe is also the more common of the two words. The word loathsome is an adjective form of the verb loathe that means causing feelings of loathing—disgusting or revolting. You would describe someone you loathe as loathsome. Loath is usually followed by the word to and a verb, as in I’m loath to drive that far. To remember that the verb loathe ends with an e, remember that it means the same thing as hate, which also ends with an e. Here’s an example of loath and loathe used correctly in a sentence. Example: I’m loath to think about how much he must loathe me. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between loath and loathe.

Synonym Usage

See reluctant.

Other Word Forms

• loathness
  noun
• overloath
  adjective
• unloath
  adjective
• unloathly
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of loath

First recorded before 900; Middle English loth, lath, Old English lāth “hostile, hateful”; cognate with Dutch leed, German leid “sorry,” Old Norse leithr “hateful”

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Explanation

If you are loath to do something, you really don't want to do it. If you are reluctant to go swimming, people will say you are loath to swim — but if they are really mean, they might throw you in the pool anyway. The adjective loath is used to describe being extremely opposed to something. The term is generally followed by to — "The teacher was loath to let the students turn in papers late, but he made an exception for the girl who had missed class due to illness."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

loath

Experts like Tbakhi and Geldsetzer are loath to say that younger adults should all get the shingles vaccine—both affirmed that recommendations should be left to committees such as those at the Food and Drug Administration.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026

The U.S. is adding the fewest new jobs on record during an economic expansion, but businesses are also loath to remove people from their payrolls.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

This aligns with the developments in the race, as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who was loath to get involved in the race, jumped in to endorse Stevens late in the contest.

From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2026

Historically, college sports leaders have been loath to classify athletes as employees, but it seems destined for the courts, where they’re on a major losing streak.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

But though she’s loath to admit it, lately that persona has begun to feel restrictive.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

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Related Words

• afraid
• hesitant
• reluctant
• unwilling

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