reluctant
Americanadjective
-
not eager; unwilling; disinclined
-
archaic offering resistance or opposition
Related Words
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.
Other Word Forms
- half-reluctant adjective
- reluctantly adverb
- unreluctant adjective
Etymology
Origin of reluctant
First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin reluctant- (stem of reluctāns ), present participle of reluctārī; reluct, -ant
Compare meaning
How does reluctant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I'm reluctant to put more pressure on his shoulders than he's already got, but he can be as good as anyone in his position, whichever position he plays," Howe said.
From BBC
The Flamingo is the kind of deep-strike weapon that Western nations have been reluctant to supply.
From BBC
That would make people who are already concerned about falling prices even more reluctant to buy.
From Barron's
But after the LAFD’s failures in the Palisades fire, some voters may be reluctant to entrust its leaders with more money.
From Los Angeles Times
Many owners lucky to have taken out mortgages when rates were 2% are reluctant to sell, and the supply has been reduced by natural disasters such as hurricanes and fires.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
