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

Synonyms of reluctance

• unwillingness
• hesitancy
• reticence
• hesitance
• doubt
• disinclination

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

But, despite his reluctance to take a back seat even when Portugal looked better without him in recent years, his legacy is still one that deserves to be celebrated – much like how Lionel Messi said goodbye to Argentina last month. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026

María Marcela Mazzini, an Argentine theologian who participated in Francis’ 2015 big meeting on the family, attributed Francis’ reluctance to return to Argentina’s complicated political polarization during his pontificate. — ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026

According to The Art Newspaper, experts say this delay is due to a national reluctance to confront the country’s fascist history, a lack of transparency about provenance in museums, and other factors. — News Desk, Artforum, 3 Nov. 2026

Soaring insurance costs and ship owners’ reluctance to sail into a war zone would be enough to squeeze the flow, and the Chinese government would have little recourse to stop it. — Joel Wuthnow, Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for reluctance

• conductance
• inductance
• transconductance

Kids Definition

reluctance

noun

re·​luc·​tance ri-ˈlək-tən(t)s 

: the quality or state of being reluctant