reluctance
noun
re·luc·tance
ri-ˈlək-tən(t)s 
1
: the quality or state of being reluctant
2
: the opposition offered in a magnetic circuit to magnetic flux
specifically
: the ratio of the magnetic potential difference to the corresponding flux
Examples of reluctance in a Sentence
the mice showed an odd reluctance to eat the cheese we had put out for them
Recent Examples on the Web
Reverence for the past, and reluctance to destroy until the risks of destruction are fully known, is not timidity but wisdom, in architecture as in life.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Part of their reluctance has stemmed in part from Mamdani's sharp criticism of Israel and its siege of Gaza, which Mamdani has called a genocide.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
The documentary also examines how Emerson’s best friend’s death deeply affected his mental health, his reluctance to seek help and the events leading up to Flight 2059.
—Maddie Garfinkle, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Despite her reluctance, Natalya agreed to the angle.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
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Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
Part of their reluctance has stemmed in part from Mamdani's sharp criticism of Israel and its siege of Gaza, which Mamdani has called a genocide.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
The documentary also examines how Emerson’s best friend’s death deeply affected his mental health, his reluctance to seek help and the events leading up to Flight 2059.
—Maddie Garfinkle, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Despite her reluctance, Natalya agreed to the angle.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
Cite this Entry
“Reluctance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reluctance. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reluctance
noun
re·luc·tance
ri-ˈlək-tən(t)s
: the quality or state of being reluctant
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