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

In a seller’s market, however, he might be constrained by a dearth of prospect capital and some reluctance to trade from the back of his big-league bullpen. — Dennis Lin, New York Times, 26 July 2026

In 2014, law scholar Eloise Pasachoff identified arguments scholars use to explain federal agencies’ reluctance to cut off funds. — Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 24 July 2026

Fifteen years after the Grammy-winning singer’s death, her mother Janis Winehouse opened up about dealing with grief and her daughter’s reluctance toward success in a new interview with The i magazine. — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2026

Symptoms include coughing, rapid breathing, lethargy, and reluctance to exercise; open-mouth breathing in cats is an emergency. — Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 23 July 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