reluctantly

adverb

re·​luc·​tant·​ly ri-ˈlək-tənt-lē How to pronounce reluctantly (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To put it mildly, Arthur only agrees reluctantly. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025 Banks will play a former college classmate with a big personality, with whom Viv (Cassandra Freeman) is reluctantly reunited. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025 On Bel-Air, Banks will play a former college classmate with a big personality with whom Viv (Cassandra Freeman) is reluctantly reunited. Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025 The bigwigs at Paramount reluctantly accepted him at a very reduced salary. Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reluctantly

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reluctantly was in 1646

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Cite this Entry

“Reluctantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reluctantly. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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