unwilling
Americanadjective
-
not willing; reluctant; loath; averse.
an unwilling partner in the crime.
-
opposed; offering resistance; stubborn or obstinate; refractory.
an unwilling captive.
adjective
-
unfavourably inclined; reluctant
-
performed, given, or said with reluctance
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unwilling
before 900; Old English unwillende (not recorded in ME); see un- 1, willing
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.
"In the vast majority of cases related to account suspensions, platforms are unable or unwilling to provide the content which allows us to independently review their decisions," it said in its transparency report.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
Local lawyers have been unwilling to take on a malpractice case because Waldorf didn’t die or end up with permanent injuries.
From Salon • May 27, 2026
But Cuba’s leaders appear unwilling to make major concessions.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
The fish has proved stubbornly unwilling to reproduce in captivity without intervention, but Japanese researchers succeeded in breeding Japanese eels from eggs in a laboratory setting in 2010 at great expense.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
For she still stood on the avenue, unwilling to fade into memory.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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.
