reluctantly
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reluctantly
Explanation
Reluctantly means "with hesitation, doubt or dread." You might reluctantly walk into the dentist's office for your appointment, knowing that you will soon feel the pain of a root canal. Ouch! The adverb reluctantly comes from the root word reluctant, meaning "unwilling, disinclined." When you do something reluctantly, you don't really want to do it. For example, if you answer a question reluctantly, you will first stall or try to change the subject. If your friend reluctantly agreed to help you move to your new house, you know she felt obligated to say "yes." Better buy her dinner, at the very least.
Vocabulary lists containing reluctantly
"The Ravine," Vocabulary from the short story
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Number the Stars
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Nothing But the Truth
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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.
Fielder says A24 reluctantly agreed, leaving him worried that the integrity of the project may have been compromised.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
And I was like, Oh, right, the heart stops reluctantly.
From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026
Being complicit, however reluctantly, in their destruction seemed almost sacrilege.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
After reluctantly selling talisman Guimaraes to Arsenal, Gonzalez possesses the qualities Newcastle have been looking for in the middle of the park.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
“Yeah, I guess he says that sometimes,” Joe agreed reluctantly.
From "A Monster of a Mystery (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #5)" by Franklin W. Dixon
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
