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 the Marlins have hardly been a top draw for veterans, either, because of the historically low crowds and the team’s reluctance to spend a lot of money, with only isolated exceptions. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026 Fear of bad diagnoses leads to medical avoidance, while reluctance to show vulnerability prevents seeking help, compounding stress. — Nancy MacKay, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 Bill Clinton’s reluctance to commit ground troops in areas of distress. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 July 2026 The outlet noted that concerns about travel restrictions, including those from the US, and the impact on the local tourism industry may be driving the country’s reluctance to share more information. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 July 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
  • Anthony Volpe had to defend his character after the team’s play-by-play man, Michael Kay, retracted unfounded claims about the shortdtop’s unwillingness to play second base.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 July 2026
  • Working closely with the extraordinary faculty at Washington College and with partners across the nation, the Hogan Institute is another example of America’s unwillingness to continue its slide toward greater division.
    — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 8 July 2026
Definition of unwillingness
Noun
  • Sidewalk safety, a tale of two cities There is no such hesitancy with cities collecting roadway data.
    — Wes Marshall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
  • The Iranian regime’s apparent hesitancy to resume in-person talks is a significant step back from the high-level talks that took place in Switzerland earlier this month following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the countries.
    — Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 30 June 2026
Definition of hesitancy
Noun
  • But, in general, the subject elicited private reticence and public omertà.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 July 2026
  • The reticence about the number of robots is kind of part of the story.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of reticence
Noun
  • 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
  • That hesitance in the Republican Party coexists with palpable relief that there’s a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East after months of strikes on Iran.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 15 June 2026
Definition of hesitance
Noun
  • Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie looked like Serie A regulars, Folarin Balogun’s finishing was on song and Gio Reyna put to rest any doubts about his selection by channelling his inner Luka Modric.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • As tech stocks waver on doubts the AI boom will prove sustainable, India is emerging as a safe haven for global investors looking to hedge their bets and weather the volatility, Bloomberg wrote.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 5 July 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 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reluctance

Nglish: Translation of reluctance for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reluctance

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