Synonyms of unwillingness

unwillingness

noun

as in reluctance

a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something

your unwillingness to help with the cooking means that you won't be sharing in the eating

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reluctance
• reticence
• hesitancy
• hesitance
• doubt
• disinclination
• skepticism
• hesitation
• indecision
• vacillation
• irresolution
• suspicion
• uncertainty
• wavering
• staggering
• faltering
• distrust
• mistrust
• wobbling
• fence-sitting
• incertitude
• shilly-shallying
• distrustfulness
• mistrustfulness
• uncertainness
• misdoubt
• misgiving

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• willingness
• inclination
• conviction
• certainty
• assurance
• surety
• certitude
• positiveness
• sureness
• assuredness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of unwillingness

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

Many women travel without their husbands due to differing interests or a partner's unwillingness to travel. — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Hafley has talked extensively about his refusal to overwhelm rookies, something that explains his unwillingness to cross-train Proctor. — Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026

James’s obsessive love, his unwillingness to go on without his beloved, is treated as childish, if not a version of sweaty insanity. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026

The article argues that many leaders are 'unqualified' not from lack of credentials, but from an unwillingness to process information that challenges their views. — Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026

His unwillingness to accept blame sometimes leads him to deny that there are problems at all, and could leave GOP leaders in tight races with little reassurance for voters that their concerns are being addressed. — Will Weissert, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026

Others argue that the primary driver of the disconnect is people’s unwillingness to abandon their beliefs in merit – that wealth is the product of hard work, talent and risk. — Jen Cole Wright, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026