Synonyms of unwilling

unwilling

adjective

ˌən-ˈwi-liŋ 

as in forced

not made or done willingly or by choice

unwilling contributions from city employees who felt pressured to do so

Synonyms & Similar Words

• forced
• spontaneous
• accidental
• coerced
• will-less
• unintended
• involuntary
• unintentional
• automatic
• impulsive
• unconscious
• instinctive
• unplanned
• inadvertent
• unwitting
• unpremeditated
• unknowing
• unprompted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• willing
• voluntary
• deliberate
• intentional
• willful
• conscious
• uncoerced
• unforced
• knowing
• advised
• planned
• considered
• purposeful
• premeditated
• freewill
• volitional
• premeditative
• prepense
• self-imposed
• self-inflicted

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of unwilling

Rubio told me that last year at the Running Event, the industry’s largest trade show, the Chinese brand Anta was unwilling to let potentially interested retailers leave with samples, which is common practice. — Scott Douglas, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

But for the most part, the international community has been unwilling to hold warring parties and their foreign supporters accountable for intentionally starving parts of their populations. — Peter Hailey, The Conversation, 16 July 2026

If a judge is unpersuaded by the lawsuit and unwilling to put a restraining order in place, Paramount will move forward with the merger and the states might withdraw the lawsuit. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Sunrise had arrived in Oslo and on the hill topped by the Royal Palace, there were thousands unwilling to let go. — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 12 July 2026