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
Relevance
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 unwillingness
As in the unwillingness to sell out defensively on a consistent basis.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026
When systems fail—whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act—the consequences are not abstract.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
When systems fail -- whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act -- the consequences are not abstract.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
The lack of candor referenced by Peters was a nod to Mullin’s unwillingness to offer details about a past trip abroad, a line of questioning that came about as Peters pressed Mullin to explain past comments that implied the nominee had been in active combat.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 19 Mar. 2026
After Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden overcame a series of scandals and won a tight primary race, candidates who ran against him acknowledged one thing that helped — their own unwillingness to drop out.
—Ryan Oehrli
march 17, Charlotte Observer, 17 Mar. 2026
But conservatives perceive the lack of action as Thune’s unwillingness, despite supporting the bill, to whip votes for a priority the base cares about.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 16 Mar. 2026
Xi’s unwillingness or inability to intervene in events so far from home seems to be harming China’s reputation as a geopolitical counterweight to the United States.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Iliopoulos demonstrates once again how the unwillingness of political authorities to respect an international treaty transforms both the native population and the newcomers into hostages of a sinister and clumsy social engineering project.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026
When systems fail—whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act—the consequences are not abstract.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
When systems fail -- whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act -- the consequences are not abstract.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
The lack of candor referenced by Peters was a nod to Mullin’s unwillingness to offer details about a past trip abroad, a line of questioning that came about as Peters pressed Mullin to explain past comments that implied the nominee had been in active combat.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 19 Mar. 2026
After Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden overcame a series of scandals and won a tight primary race, candidates who ran against him acknowledged one thing that helped — their own unwillingness to drop out.
—Ryan Oehrli
march 17, Charlotte Observer, 17 Mar. 2026
But conservatives perceive the lack of action as Thune’s unwillingness, despite supporting the bill, to whip votes for a priority the base cares about.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 16 Mar. 2026
Xi’s unwillingness or inability to intervene in events so far from home seems to be harming China’s reputation as a geopolitical counterweight to the United States.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Iliopoulos demonstrates once again how the unwillingness of political authorities to respect an international treaty transforms both the native population and the newcomers into hostages of a sinister and clumsy social engineering project.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwillingness
reluctance
Noun
-
There’s a reason for their reluctance and caution.—
David McHugh,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Alyoshka’s mother clings to the hope that her son represents, and finds his reluctance to play his role impossible to understand.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwillingness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwillingness. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
