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
An October 2022 report by Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office revealed numerous complaints coupled with banks’ apparent reluctance to address them, reimburse victims or boot fraudsters from the platform.
—
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2025
Germans are worried about many issues, including tariffs and the economy, but their genuine reluctance to rebuild a strong military and assume leadership in Europe was a palpable theme in our meetings.
—Susan Greene Pallot, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2025
Washington’s partners in Europe stepped up during the Biden administration and, in the face of American reluctance, advocated for the IAEA to censure Tehran for not cooperating with the agency’s inspections and refusing to answer questions about its nuclear work.
—Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2025
In this metaphor, Peter himself is, of course, Kavalier, a precocious trillionaire with a Roman Roy-like reluctance to sit normally in a chair or even wear shoes.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
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Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2025
Germans are worried about many issues, including tariffs and the economy, but their genuine reluctance to rebuild a strong military and assume leadership in Europe was a palpable theme in our meetings.
—Susan Greene Pallot, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2025
Washington’s partners in Europe stepped up during the Biden administration and, in the face of American reluctance, advocated for the IAEA to censure Tehran for not cooperating with the agency’s inspections and refusing to answer questions about its nuclear work.
—Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2025
In this metaphor, Peter himself is, of course, Kavalier, a precocious trillionaire with a Roman Roy-like reluctance to sit normally in a chair or even wear shoes.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Aug. 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 20 Aug. 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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