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

So real reform that is bipartisan has been left on the shelf amidst rising healthcare costs because of the governor’s unwillingness and failure of leadership, and that’s what matters to Connecticut residents – results. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026

This is a trend that began long before Trump—and has been sustained in part by the Democrats’ unwillingness to reverse Republicans’ tax cuts. — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026

Europe’s unwillingness or inability to reckon with colonialism may explain its strange, even pathological identification with the anxieties of its former subjects. — Faisal Devji, Time, 11 Sep. 2026

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