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

He is about to release 'Thriller,' and today he's agreed, reluctantly, to sit for the Rolling Stone cover.

—Gerri Hirshey

Kirsti 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

Examples of reluctantly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Fielder himself is reluctantly mesmerized, initially with the unlikely nature of the project — who on earth invites a film crew into their home mere days before Mommy goes to prison? — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

An appointment to a local library commission, reluctantly accepted, may not sound like an auspicious event. — Emma Schroeder, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026

Some brokers say the ultrawealthy are leaving California reluctantly. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Loosely inspired by real-life South Korean serial killer cases from the mid-2000s, The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil follows a crime boss who reluctantly teams with a detective to track down the serial killer who attacked him. — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above