reluctant
Americanadjective
-
not eager; unwilling; disinclined
-
archaic offering resistance or opposition
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of reluctant
First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin reluctant- (stem of reluctāns ), present participle of reluctārī; see reluct, -ant
Compare meaning
How does reluctant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
If the adjective reluctant applies to you, it means that you are undergoing some inner struggle and are unwilling or unable to decide. The word reluctant comes from the Latin reluctantem, which means "to struggle against." These days reluctant means "unwilling." If you’re reluctant to dance to a terrible song, you’re unwilling to whirl and twirl, and you might even have to struggle against your friends who try to get you on the dance floor. You might offer them a reluctant smile instead (and hope it doesn’t look like a grimace).
Vocabulary lists containing reluctant
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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.
No wonder Tuchel is reluctant to leave Kane out, even for a friendly, so central is he to his plans.
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
Hopes for a deal run high before fizzling, so markets have been reluctant to discount longer-lasting disruptions, Morgan Stanley analysts said.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
Snow's wife, an epidemiologist, told the Mail he was initially reluctant to see a doctor, but he saw a specialist in 2023.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
The Fed Bank of Chicago said that small business intermediaries reported greater uncertainty on the part of their clients, who were increasingly reluctant to take on debt to start or grow their businesses.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
Over his shoulder, he watched Oslak tying a reluctant Wolf to the same roof post on a short rawhide leash.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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.
