RELUCTANCES Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

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

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Recent Examples of reluctance No athlete in the last 50 years exudes coolness like Michael Jordan, who creates an audience because of his reluctance to seek it. —

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 May 2026 Braun’s reluctance around the rim was often a noticeable theme of the first-round playoff series, which the Nuggets lost 4-2, condemning them to a long offseason. —

Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 4 May 2026 The two had been arguing just a few hours earlier over Sweeney’s reluctance to do chores around the house, his grandfather told police. —

Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026 This reluctance can have real health consequences. —

Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reluctance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reluctance

Noun

Their unwillingness to engage beyond the surface means a refusal to examine rap’s layered explorations of life, pride and pain, described through lyrical humor, social commentary and witty wordplay.

— A.D. Carson, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
That’s due, in part, to the administration’s unwillingness to target threats to public safety and instead detaining as many unauthorized immigrants as possible, immigration attorneys and advocates say.

— Aileen Clarke, Houston Chronicle, 6 May 2026