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

When things go south, they get drawn in deeper — Cane, reluctantly, and Harlan, almost enthusiastically. —Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025

When another accident injures Pete’s son, things come to a head and eventually the family reluctantly closes the business. —Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 June 2025

Reyes reluctantly agrees to help Stabler, who hands over Mathis for processing and asks Reyes to do some digging to find Emery’s whereabouts. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 12 June 2025

Dill and his family reluctantly decided to euthanize Socks to prevent more suffering. —John Blake, CNN Money, 8 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above