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
The players want it, and the league has reluctantly accepted that a break in the middle of its season once every four years is worth the risk, and the headaches, to enjoy the power, prestige and reach that only the Olympics creates.
—Mac Engel
march 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
She’s played by Suze (Daisy Tichenor), who was one of the more self-consciously liberal voices reluctantly participating in the sport of racial tourism.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
In All Over the Guy, Eli (Bucatinsky) and Tom (Ruccolo) are reluctantly thrown together on a blind date orchestrated by their straight best friends, Brett (Adam Goldberg) and Jackie (Sasha Alexander), who spark their own romance while Eli and Tom stumble through a situationship.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
What makes all of the above even worse is that the Johnson administration pulled a bait-and-switch on the City Council late last year when aldermen reluctantly agreed to debt-finance these operational costs.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reluctantly
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Mac Engel
march 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
She’s played by Suze (Daisy Tichenor), who was one of the more self-consciously liberal voices reluctantly participating in the sport of racial tourism.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
In All Over the Guy, Eli (Bucatinsky) and Tom (Ruccolo) are reluctantly thrown together on a blind date orchestrated by their straight best friends, Brett (Adam Goldberg) and Jackie (Sasha Alexander), who spark their own romance while Eli and Tom stumble through a situationship.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
What makes all of the above even worse is that the Johnson administration pulled a bait-and-switch on the City Council late last year when aldermen reluctantly agreed to debt-finance these operational costs.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 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 2 Apr. 2026.
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