Synonyms of reluctance

reluctance

noun

ri-ˈlək-tən(t)s 

as in unwillingness

a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something

the mice showed an odd reluctance to eat the cheese we had put out for them

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unwillingness
• hesitancy
• reticence
• hesitance
• doubt
• disinclination
• hesitation
• skepticism
• suspicion
• uncertainty
• indecision
• vacillation
• irresolution
• distrust
• wavering
• faltering
• mistrust
• staggering
• wobbling
• fence-sitting
• incertitude
• shilly-shallying
• misgiving
• misdoubt
• distrustfulness
• mistrustfulness
• uncertainness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• willingness
• inclination
• conviction
• assurance
• certainty
• surety
• certitude
• positiveness
• assuredness
• sureness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of reluctance

But, despite his reluctance to take a back seat even when Portugal looked better without him in recent years, his legacy is still one that deserves to be celebrated – much like how Lionel Messi said goodbye to Argentina last month. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026

According to The Art Newspaper, experts say this delay is due to a national reluctance to confront the country’s fascist history, a lack of transparency about provenance in museums, and other factors. — News Desk, Artforum, 3 Nov. 2026

These initiatives foundered from a lack of urgency and a reluctance among European countries to antagonize China, which is one of their largest trading partners. — Theodore Bunzel, Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2026

But if his account of Pichai’s reluctance is accurate, an entire ocean may be one step too far for Google. — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026