reluctantly

[ri-luhk-tuhnt-lee]

adverb

1. without really wanting to; unwillingly.

   I told her to take a break, just for one moment, and she reluctantly pulled away from her work.

Other Word Forms

• half-reluctantly adverb
• unreluctantly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of reluctantly¹

reluctant ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Penelope had to restrain the Incorrigible children from doing the same; reluctantly they obeyed, but they added their own growls and snarls from a distance.

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“I am afraid it means we ought to go,” Penelope said reluctantly.

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Having done his best to form friendships within his halls of residence, he reluctantly signed up for accommodation with four others rather than risk finding himself with no house and no-one to share it with.

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The android knows how to navigate the planet’s threats—exploding spike plants, acid-spitting eels, literal razor grass—so Dek reluctantly teams up with her to find his quarry.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Asda advert, set to the song Let it Snow, follows The Grinch reluctantly doing his festive shop.

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Related Words

• carefully 
• cautiously 
• hesitantly www.thesaurus.com
• unwillingly www.thesaurus.com
• warily