reluctantly
adverb
re·luc·tant·ly
ri-ˈlək-tənt-lē 
: in a reluctant manner : with aversion or hesitation
The quiet resolution in his voice penetrated her racing thoughts. Reluctantly she gave him a corner of her attention.—
Elizabeth George Speare
Elizabeth George SpeareHe is about to release 'Thriller,' and today he's agreed, reluctantly, to sit for the Rolling Stone cover.—Gerri Hirshey
Gerri HirsheyKirsti had gone to bed reluctantly, complaining that she wanted to stay up with the others, that she was grownup enough, … that it wasn't fair.—Lois Lowry
Lois LowryExamples of reluctantly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Her mother reluctantly assented, so long as Carol went with her.
—Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Others have struggled to make up their minds, reluctantly choosing a candidate after being unimpressed with the field.
—ABC News, 27 May 2026
In a nod to Hollywood’s pull toward intellectual property, one storyline focuses on the studio embarking on a movie about the Kool-Aid Man, which Rogen’s character only reluctantly agrees to pursue.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
Now the pitcher the Padres pretty much reluctantly put back on their roster earlier this month has worked 12 scoreless innings over his six appearances this season.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for reluctantly
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Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Others have struggled to make up their minds, reluctantly choosing a candidate after being unimpressed with the field.
—ABC News, 27 May 2026
In a nod to Hollywood’s pull toward intellectual property, one storyline focuses on the studio embarking on a movie about the Kool-Aid Man, which Rogen’s character only reluctantly agrees to pursue.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
Now the pitcher the Padres pretty much reluctantly put back on their roster earlier this month has worked 12 scoreless innings over his six appearances this season.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for reluctantly
Cite this Entry
“Reluctantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reluctantly. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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