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:
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
List 3
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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.
Young people are also more reluctant to take the longtime starting point to the working world, industry officials said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
US allies in Europe that oppose the war and have been reluctant to come to America's aid in reopening the strait will also have to be convinced.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
Fierce negotiations are expected between the European Parliament and member states, especially over where to find extra money that governments are reluctant to chip in.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
If you are reluctant to take the tax hit now, keep the idea on a watchlist for the next stock-market selloff.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026
Afterwards, prepared to set out but reluctant to leave their sanctuary, they sat in a row on the porch.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
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.
