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
Despite her reluctance, Ava decides to show up for her best friend, and the two embark on an extravagant European trip that involves driving stick shift in the streets of Paris, high-end dining, shopping and clubbing until dawn.
—
Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Lean says the experience had an awful effect on him, filling him with shame and a reluctance to direct again.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026
In an interview in the early 1980s, as humanity looked for the meaning of life in extraterrestrial species and other planets, Eichenberg lamented our reluctance to find it first in each other.
—Jessica George, JSTOR Daily, 27 May 2026
But the Sox aren’t going to force him to change his routines, much like the Los Angeles Dodgers accommodate Shohei Ohtani’s reluctance to speak with the media on a regular basis.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
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Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Lean says the experience had an awful effect on him, filling him with shame and a reluctance to direct again.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026
In an interview in the early 1980s, as humanity looked for the meaning of life in extraterrestrial species and other planets, Eichenberg lamented our reluctance to find it first in each other.
—Jessica George, JSTOR Daily, 27 May 2026
But the Sox aren’t going to force him to change his routines, much like the Los Angeles Dodgers accommodate Shohei Ohtani’s reluctance to speak with the media on a regular basis.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
Cite this Entry
“Reluctance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reluctance. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reluctance
noun
re·luc·tance
ri-ˈlək-tən(t)s
: the quality or state of being reluctant
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