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
- unwillingly adverb
- unwillingness noun
Etymology
Origin of unwilling
before 900; Old English unwillende (not recorded in ME); 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.
Banks are currently unwilling or unsure about using these tools, so they keep a large share of their deposits at the Fed in the form of bank reserves, which keeps the Fed’s balance sheet large.
From Barron's
That process would demand significant time and money that American businesses won’t be able to devote to their core operations—and that smaller importers might be unable or unwilling to commit.
In recent years, numerous coaches have been hired and subsequently sacked for a tactical style they have been unwilling to waver from.
From BBC
Rowan would nod and mutter an unwilling answer.
From Literature
Such is the level of scrutiny surrounding it that China is understood to be unwilling to allow it into port.
From BBC
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.
