Synonyms
Examples of unwilling in a Sentence
He was an unwilling participant in the demonstration.
unwilling contributions from city employees who felt pressured to do so
Recent Examples on the Web
But when Newman showed up recently to their Harpers Ferry-area neighborhood to discuss the new PJM plan, the couple appeared unwilling to fight again.
—
Antonio Olivo, Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2024
The British government had no intention of coming to Czechoslovakia’s defense, and the French were unwilling to take on Germany without British support.
—TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
International aid organizations are largely unwilling to deviate from a principled approach, while Israel is unwilling to assume any risks.
—Shira Efron, Foreign Affairs, 15 Apr. 2024
Some families are either unwilling or unable to pay smugglers and choose to wait for a CBP appointment.
—David Culver, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
The biggest disconnect, though, is that the city remains unwilling to pick up the tab for initial expenses on a project that may not pan out.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
Some of Israel’s supporters have been unwilling to acknowledge that IDF field troops and commanders have committed horrendous acts against civilians, whether due to indifference, recklessness, or vengefulness.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Too many vested interests in the old world order are uncomfortable with, or unwilling to accept, the potential disruption posed by the new one.
—Tracy Price, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
According to Wilfong, Boling was unwilling to enforce the rule, believing those homes weren't in violation.
—The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2024
Antonio Olivo, Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2024
The British government had no intention of coming to Czechoslovakia’s defense, and the French were unwilling to take on Germany without British support.
—TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
International aid organizations are largely unwilling to deviate from a principled approach, while Israel is unwilling to assume any risks.
—Shira Efron, Foreign Affairs, 15 Apr. 2024
Some families are either unwilling or unable to pay smugglers and choose to wait for a CBP appointment.
—David Culver, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
The biggest disconnect, though, is that the city remains unwilling to pick up the tab for initial expenses on a project that may not pan out.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
Some of Israel’s supporters have been unwilling to acknowledge that IDF field troops and commanders have committed horrendous acts against civilians, whether due to indifference, recklessness, or vengefulness.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Too many vested interests in the old world order are uncomfortable with, or unwilling to accept, the potential disruption posed by the new one.
—Tracy Price, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
According to Wilfong, Boling was unwilling to enforce the rule, believing those homes weren't in violation.
—The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unwilling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near unwilling
Cite this Entry
“Unwilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwilling. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unwilling
adjective
un·will·ing
ˌən-ˈwil-iŋ 
ˈən-
: not willing
unwillingly
adverb
unwillingness
noun
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