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
Trump’s removal of Siebert, a member of one of Virginia’s most prominent Republican legal families, is widely seen as a direct response to Siebert’s reluctance to pursue politically explosive charges against James without more substantial evidence.
—
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 Sep. 2025
Security tools that don’t prioritize an easy and engaging UX are much more likely to face reluctance from end-users than those that prioritize accessibility and user-friendliness.
—Eyal Benishti, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Another factor that may baffle outsiders is a reluctance to use air conditioners at home.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Your husband may not fully get the magnitude of what happened to you in your first pregnancy, and he is therefore frustrated by your reluctance to do it again.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
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Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 Sep. 2025
Security tools that don’t prioritize an easy and engaging UX are much more likely to face reluctance from end-users than those that prioritize accessibility and user-friendliness.
—Eyal Benishti, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Another factor that may baffle outsiders is a reluctance to use air conditioners at home.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Your husband may not fully get the magnitude of what happened to you in your first pregnancy, and he is therefore frustrated by your reluctance to do it again.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 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 Sep. 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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