loath

American  

[lohth, lohth] / loʊθ, loʊð /

Or loth

adjective

1. unwilling; reluctant; disinclined; averse.

   to be loath to admit a mistake.

   Antonyms:

   eager

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loath British  

/ ləʊθ /

adjective

1. (usually foll by to) reluctant or unwilling

2. willing

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Usage

What’s the difference between loath and loathe? Loath is an adjective that means unwilling, reluctant, or disinclined, as in They are loath to get involved in such a messy situation. Loathe is a verb that means to hate or feel extreme disgust toward, as in I loathe the way he treats his dog or My kids loathe broccoli.  Loathe always rhymes with the verb clothe. Loath can be pronounced this way, but it can also rhyme with both. Loath is only ever used as an adjective, and loathe is only ever used as a verb. Both words are generally negative, but loathe is much more negative. Loathe is also the more common of the two words. The word loathsome is an adjective form of the verb loathe that means causing feelings of loathing—disgusting or revolting. You would describe someone you loathe as loathsome. Loath is usually followed by the word to and a verb, as in I’m loath to drive that far. To remember that the verb loathe ends with an e, remember that it means the same thing as hate, which also ends with an e. Here’s an example of loath and loathe used correctly in a sentence. Example: I’m loath to think about how much he must loathe me. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between loath and loathe.

Related Words

See reluctant.

Other Word Forms

• loathness noun
• overloath adjective
• unloath adjective
• unloathly adverb

Etymology

Origin of loath

First recorded before 900; Middle English loth, lath, Old English lāth “hostile, hateful”; cognate with Dutch leed, German leid “sorry,” Old Norse leithr “hateful”

Explanation

If you are loath to do something, you really don't want to do it. If you are reluctant to go swimming, people will say you are loath to swim — but if they are really mean, they might throw you in the pool anyway. The adjective loath is used to describe being extremely opposed to something. The term is generally followed by to — "The teacher was loath to let the students turn in papers late, but he made an exception for the girl who had missed class due to illness."

Example Sentences

I’m loath to close up shop and sell off the pieces of my life’s work as scrap for pennies on the dollar, but at this point, I see no other option.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026

Solorzano is loath to talk about her time away, saying she does not like to call it hiding but rather "shelter."

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

Yet even in old age, long after Mao’s death in 1976, they remained loath to reject him.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

“Despite the state’s national reputation as ‘Scandinavia by the Sea,’ there remains a strong anti-tax impulse among voters who often reject tax increases and are loath to kill the state’s golden goose of tech entrepreneurship.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 2, 2026

The regent was loath to have me visit Qunu, thinking I would regress and fall into bad company back in my old village.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• afraid
• hesitant
• reluctant
• unwilling