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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reluctance
However, Starbucks has struggled in recent years, along with other Western companies that have lost ground to local rivals amid rising nationalism and reluctance to pay premiums for foreign brands.
—
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Curtain calls Tycho Brahe, the renowned Renaissance astronomer, died in 1601 from a burst bladder, which was likely the result of a bladder infection and his reluctance to excuse himself to urinate.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
Recognising those market values would boost Barcelona’s financial standing but likely diminish their ability to compete — and a reluctance to sell stars was part of what drove them down the palancas route in the first place.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Sometimes the case for war’s inevitability is couched in expressions of rue and reluctance.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Curtain calls Tycho Brahe, the renowned Renaissance astronomer, died in 1601 from a burst bladder, which was likely the result of a bladder infection and his reluctance to excuse himself to urinate.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
Recognising those market values would boost Barcelona’s financial standing but likely diminish their ability to compete — and a reluctance to sell stars was part of what drove them down the palancas route in the first place.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Sometimes the case for war’s inevitability is couched in expressions of rue and reluctance.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reluctance
Noun
-
Fed up with Tony’s bellicose style and an unwillingness to meaningfully negotiate, Deerfield Beach would have to start its own police force and fire-rescue service — a major undertaking that will take two years.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Jan. 2026
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Disenchantment with the future – and an accompanying unwillingness to have kids – have at points become a rallying cry for people in China, in particular during the pandemic when the government mobilized stringent measures to stop the spread of the virus.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Wyatt gave Minnie some distance, which made sense after Kylie spoke about her eldest daughter’s hesitancy around characters at the theme park.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Liberty’s own hesitancy to committing is based on her past as well as her day-to-day dealing with [divorce] clients.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Despite Canales’ reticence, there’s little guesswork involved.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
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In fact, some of Indiana's most pro-Trump lawmakers previously expressed reticence about drawing new maps, though some of the opposition softened in the wake of previous meetings with Vance.—
Hayleigh Colombo,
IndyStar,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Citing Chinese academic research, the report notes that financial and time pressures, especially the cost and burden of child care, are major factors contributing to families’ hesitance.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Dec. 2025
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The judge continued to echo his hesitance following the reveal and shared an Instagram Stories post posing the question for fans.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Cameron Winter’s lyrics have an air of inscrutable mysticism, but there is little doubt he’s supposed to be the one singing them.—
Armin Rosen,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Tonga has missed the past three games, which puts his availability for Sunday’s Wild Card showdown with the Chargers in significant doubt.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The author’s own disinclination toward literary experiment likely stemmed from a belief that the social demanded more moral attention than the psychological.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
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Its weakness is an intermittent lack of vulnerability and an occasional disinclination to leave all of that behind and pull out individual characters who have figured out that their travails flow from the difficulty of stopping American family life from turning into a Sam Shepard play.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reluctance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reluctance. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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