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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unwillingness
The first one is the inability or unwillingness of the Brazilian right to protect Bolsonaro.
—
Omar G. Encarnación, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Others objected to his support for openly gay conservatives or his unwillingness to fully endorse white identity politics.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
His unwillingness to shift and Florida’s subsequently rancid offense came to a predictable inflection point last week.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
The dynamic contributed to her unwillingness to confront Biden, who was 81 at the time, about his reelection bid, Harris suggests.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Negotiations between the two countries have been stuck since July over India's unwillingness to open up its dairy and agricultural sector to American companies.
—Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
Freed him from ego, from fear, from the inability or unwillingness to act that characterized the early Union generals.
—Jack Sheehan
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Encountering an unwillingness to listen or engage.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Other women told similar stories of the unwillingness of people in their community to help them.
—Walter S. Dekeseredy, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
Omar G. Encarnación, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Others objected to his support for openly gay conservatives or his unwillingness to fully endorse white identity politics.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
His unwillingness to shift and Florida’s subsequently rancid offense came to a predictable inflection point last week.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
The dynamic contributed to her unwillingness to confront Biden, who was 81 at the time, about his reelection bid, Harris suggests.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Negotiations between the two countries have been stuck since July over India's unwillingness to open up its dairy and agricultural sector to American companies.
—Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
Freed him from ego, from fear, from the inability or unwillingness to act that characterized the early Union generals.
—Jack Sheehan
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Encountering an unwillingness to listen or engage.
—Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Other women told similar stories of the unwillingness of people in their community to help them.
—Walter S. Dekeseredy, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwillingness
reluctance
Noun
-
The reluctance to delegate is understandable.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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This is compelling in its own right, as the current practice facility (Joe Craft Center) was built in 2007 and athletics director Mitch Barnhart's reluctance to erect a new one was a catalyst in coach John Calipari's departure.—
Payton Titus,
Louisville Courier Journal,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unwillingness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwillingness. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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