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
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Recent Examples of unwillingness
Even politicians from his own party grew frustrated over his unwillingness to cede decision-making to prime ministers or MPs.
—
Cole Stangler, Time, 9 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
The circumstances leading to the vacancy — Mitchell’s criminal conviction and unwillingness to resign even as she was stripped of committee assignments and DFL caucus involvement — could prove a potent message for Republicans, former lawmakers from the area have said.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 22 Aug. 2025
High costs and the Legislature’s unwillingness to establish a dedicated funding source to build and operate such a system have stymied the hope time and again.
—Idaho Statesman, 22 Aug. 2025
Haerr said scientists have seen the state government’s unwillingness to come to an agreement with CAPS-UAW.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Cole Stangler, Time, 9 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
The circumstances leading to the vacancy — Mitchell’s criminal conviction and unwillingness to resign even as she was stripped of committee assignments and DFL caucus involvement — could prove a potent message for Republicans, former lawmakers from the area have said.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 22 Aug. 2025
High costs and the Legislature’s unwillingness to establish a dedicated funding source to build and operate such a system have stymied the hope time and again.
—Idaho Statesman, 22 Aug. 2025
Haerr said scientists have seen the state government’s unwillingness to come to an agreement with CAPS-UAW.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwillingness
reluctance
Noun
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Added to this natural reluctance, competition between institutions has subverted collaboration to increase net welfare.—
David G.W. Birch,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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This decision reflects a broader reluctance to empower oversight even in the face of rising public demand for transparency and accountability.—
Hansel Alejandro Aguilar,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unwillingness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwillingness. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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