disinclined

adjective

dis·​in·​clined ˌdis-in-ˈklīnd 

: unwilling because of mild dislike or disapproval

Synonyms

• cagey
• cagy
• dubious
• hesitant
• indisposed
• loath
• loth
• loathe
• reluctant
• reticent

Choose the Right Synonym for disinclined

disinclined, hesitant, reluctant, loath, averse mean lacking the will or desire to do something indicated.

disinclined implies lack of taste for or inclination.

disinclined to move again

disinclined for reading

hesitant implies a holding back especially through fear or uncertainty.

hesitant about asking for a date

reluctant implies a holding back through unwillingness.

a reluctant witness

loath implies hesitancy because of conflict with one's opinions, predilections, or liking.

seems loath to trust anyone

averse implies a holding back from or avoiding because of distaste or repugnance.

averse to hard work

not averse to an occasional drink

Examples of disinclined in a Sentence

disinclined to pay his friends a visit without calling first

Recent Examples on the Web

With the backing of Western powers that felt at once guilty and disinclined to accept the boatloads themselves, the Zionism of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, presented itself as the only viable option. —Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 15 Feb. 2024

But Miami seems disinclined to be a second apron team because of the onerous competitive restrictions. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2024

The board seemed disinclined to use outside guidance in benchmarking Musk’s pay against that of CEOs at comparable companies. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024

But if Trump was counting on perceptions of a bad economy to hand him victory, reality seems disinclined to cooperate. —Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024

That said, given Apple’s new terms for out-of-app purchases, those partners would be disinclined to circumvent App Store in-app payments anyway. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 Jan. 2024

Without human intervention, the situation can escalate into truly antagonistic behavior on the part of the cat (Ariel) who is disinclined to continue playing—growling, hissing, running away—with the other cat (Caliban) in hot pursuit, thinking this is all still part of their game. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2023

That’s anyone’s guess for now, though an interview this week with the BBC may make some fans disinclined to continue watching the show. —Shannon Luders-Manuel, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2023

He’s resigned to the consequences and is disinclined to change course. —Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 29 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined above