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

His scientist creator, Victor Frankenstein, reluctantly agrees, but at the last moment tears the unfinished mate limb from limb as the creature watches on in horror. —Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026

That role had been accepted by the City Council member Chi Ossé—although, by his own account, somewhat reluctantly. —Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026

Claire’s estranged dad Jason (Steve Zahn) reluctantly signs on, and the friction between the two speaks to unresolved issues that need to be addressed. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026

The casting director sent me a VHS of the pilot, and my mom and I reluctantly watched it one evening. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above