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
Pickens’ representation, led by super agent David Mulugheta, has expressed an unwillingness to have clients play under the franchise tag.
—
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2026
The Heat views its approach not as an unwillingness to adapt to the NBA’s new world free-agency-is-no-longer-a-thing ecosystem, but a preference to rely on uncovering gems in the draft process than relying on the randomness of the draft lottery.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
The problem, Acklin says, is the unwillingness of the paper's ownership, Block Communications, to talk with any prospective new owner.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Instead of demonstrating leadership, the BOE showed an alarming unwillingness to protect students or to fight to secure the funding our schools desperately need.
—Randy Linville, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
So the reluctance to take a prophetic stance in the realm of politics and culture is less a principled unwillingness than a selective one.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
Part of that had to do with the team’s unwillingness to let Kuminga, who entered the NBA as a raw 18-year-old with only one year of G-League experience, make the kinds of mistakes he was bound to make as a youngster.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
Through perseverance and an unwillingness to concede to injuries, Martin is finding his footing at the right time.
—Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
As effective as statins are in bringing down rates of serious cardiovascular events — progress achieved over the last 50 years in combination with falling smoking rates and improving medical treatments — the drugs have also been dogged by people’s unwillingness to take them, or any drug, long term.
—Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 5 Feb. 2026
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2026
The Heat views its approach not as an unwillingness to adapt to the NBA’s new world free-agency-is-no-longer-a-thing ecosystem, but a preference to rely on uncovering gems in the draft process than relying on the randomness of the draft lottery.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
The problem, Acklin says, is the unwillingness of the paper's ownership, Block Communications, to talk with any prospective new owner.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Instead of demonstrating leadership, the BOE showed an alarming unwillingness to protect students or to fight to secure the funding our schools desperately need.
—Randy Linville, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
So the reluctance to take a prophetic stance in the realm of politics and culture is less a principled unwillingness than a selective one.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
Part of that had to do with the team’s unwillingness to let Kuminga, who entered the NBA as a raw 18-year-old with only one year of G-League experience, make the kinds of mistakes he was bound to make as a youngster.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
Through perseverance and an unwillingness to concede to injuries, Martin is finding his footing at the right time.
—Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
As effective as statins are in bringing down rates of serious cardiovascular events — progress achieved over the last 50 years in combination with falling smoking rates and improving medical treatments — the drugs have also been dogged by people’s unwillingness to take them, or any drug, long term.
—Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwillingness
reluctance
Noun
-
The couple also saw reluctance from insurance companies to get involved in rebuilding, with at least one firm denying their claim.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
11 Feb. 2026
-
In addition to Trump’s reluctance this term to fire high-level Cabinet officials, and his disinterest in addressing his past Epstein friendship, Lutnick is also a longtime friend of the president who has defended his tariff regime against intra-party criticism.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwillingness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwillingness. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
