reluctant

[ ri-luhk-tuhnt ]

adjective

1. unwilling; disinclined:

   a reluctant candidate.

   Antonyms: willing

2. struggling in opposition.

reluctant

/ rɪˈlʌktənt /

adjective

1. not eager; unwilling; disinclined
2. archaic.
   offering resistance or opposition

Derived Forms

• reˈluctantly, adverb

Other Words From

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of reluctant¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of reluctant¹

C17: from Latin reluctārī to resist; see reluct

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

He even raised reluctant smiles, and dare we say laughter, from the legal teams when he revealed that he may have exceeded the speed limit when bringing Sergei and Yulia back from Heathrow Airport.

From BBC

Many men want to be the Pope in “Conclave,” many men want to be the king in “The Return,” and yet both of Fiennes’ characters are reluctant to bear the mantle, even though in “The Return,” it is the crown — and family — that Odysseus left behind for war.

From Los Angeles Times

But some of the UK's biggest mortgage firms are reluctant to deal with homes with spray foam insulation due to concerns over poor fittings leaving moisture trapped and roof timbers at risk of decay.

From BBC

Farmworkers are often understandably reluctant to get tested because they typically don’t get health insurance or sick days.

From Slate

China, the world’s largest creditor, has been particularly reluctant to alter the terms of its loans as it grapples with its own economic challenges.

From New York Times

Related Words

• afraid
• averse
• cautious
• circumspect
• hesitant
• loath
• shy
• slow
• squeamish
• uncertain
• wary