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reluctance

noun

ri-ˈlək-tən(t)s How to pronounce reluctance (audio)
Definition of reluctancenext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reluctance But rising costs and a reluctance to return to social spaces after the pandemic have hit restaurants hard in an already challenging industry. — Whitney Eulich, Christian Science Monitor, 29 Aug. 2026 But according to emails obtained by the I-Team, implementing the programs in some districts has been met with resistance or reluctance. — Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 But investors are nervous about his reluctance to offer a roadmap. — Scott Horsley, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026 Walters asks, with a show of reluctance, questions about hillbillies, adolescent development, breast surgeries and her husband — though the singer’s answers are always gracious. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reluctance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reluctance
  1. unwillingness
  2. hesitancy
  3. reticence
  4. hesitance
  5. doubt
  6. disinclination
Noun
  • The exchanges were limited, unlike the fiercer attacks that took place over a month ago, which experts say signals an unwillingness from both parties to return to full-scale fighting.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Still, his unwillingness to spend on the margins — in player development, infrastructure, or even to have his radio team travel with the club — left cracks that have only grown bigger over time as the Angels’ playoff drought has gotten longer.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of unwillingness
Noun
  • Handy said hesitancy around the measles vaccine dates back to 2000 or even earlier.
    — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Martone competes well, showing no hesitancy to engage physically or create at the net.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of hesitancy
Noun
  • In Chile, in addition to the geological challenges discussed above, some reticence to invest in copper development may also be due in part to the strength of the country’s lithium sector.
    — Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Also in that courtroom that first day is his brother Jack (Noah Centineo), a more visibly restless and outgoing soul compared to Cody’s protective reticence.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of reticence
Noun
  • However, Pritzker’s hesitance to deploy a comprehensive solution to data centers could be his Achilles’ heel in the primaries.
    — Patrick McNamara, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Dexter grapples with killing her, but Rudy eventually can’t handle Dexter’s hesitance and takes the knife into his own hands—and nearly plunges it into Debra’s chest before Dexter stops him.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
Definition of hesitance
Noun
  • Eliminate all doubt and all potential for committing a violation by using a side-by-side or over/under double barrel.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Still, there was a cloud of public doubt lingering over the event.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of doubt
Noun
  • Culturally, the word is synonymous with ugly, not just for the ways lesbians defy traditional gender roles in the popular imagination but for their disinclination toward and unavailability to men.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
  • The same disinclination would normally apply.
    — Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 30 Nov. 2025
Definition of disinclination

Browse Nearby Words

relucent
reluctance
reluctant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reluctance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reluctance. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reluctance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reluctance

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