reluctant

[ ri-luhk-tuhnt ]

adjective

1. unwilling; disinclined:

   a reluctant candidate.

   Antonyms: willing

2. struggling in opposition.

reluctant

/ rɪˈlʌktənt /

adjective

1. not eager; unwilling; disinclined
2. archaic.
   offering resistance or opposition

Derived Forms

• reˈluctantly, adverb

Other Words From

• re·luc·tant·ly adverb
• half-re·luc·tant adjective
• un·re·luc·tant adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reluctant¹

First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin reluctant- (stem of reluctāns ), present participle of reluctārī; reluct, -ant

Word History and Origins

Origin of reluctant¹

C17: from Latin reluctārī to resist; see reluct

Synonym Study

Reluctant, loath, averse describe disinclination toward something. Reluctant implies some sort of mental struggle, as between disinclination and sense of duty: reluctant to expel students. Loath describes extreme disinclination: loath to part from a friend. Averse, used with to and a noun or a gerund, describes a long-held dislike or unwillingness, though not a particularly strong feeling: averse to an idea; averse to getting up early.

Example Sentences

Producers Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant, who helm Carnival Films, acquired the rights through a deal with Universal, but were reluctant to remake the seminal movie.

From Los Angeles Times

We still live in a sea of cultural messages that portray women as the ones trying to build relationships with supposedly reluctant men.

From Salon

Had the long arm of Putin’s Russia caught up with the reluctant beluga?

From BBC

But investors also see a risk that lower taxes, less immigration and new trade barriers could keep pressure on inflation, making the US central bank more reluctant to cut interest rates.

From BBC

But Park says the current streaming model has left her reluctant to “pour her all” into her next series.

From BBC

Related Words

• afraid
• averse
• cautious
• circumspect
• hesitant
• loath
• shy
• slow
• squeamish
• uncertain
• wary