unwilling
Americanadjective
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not willing; reluctant; loath; averse.
an unwilling partner in the crime.
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opposed; offering resistance; stubborn or obstinate; refractory.
an unwilling captive.
adjective
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unfavourably inclined; reluctant
-
performed, given, or said with reluctance
Other Word Forms
- unwillingly adverb
- unwillingness noun
Etymology
Origin of unwilling
before 900; Old English unwillende (not recorded in ME); un- 1, willing
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When your friend cosigned the loan, he agreed to be responsible for the payments if the primary borrower is unable or unwilling to make them.
From MarketWatch
Like many Ukrainians, Melnychenko remains defiant—unwilling to cave to Russia at the negotiating table, even under U.S. pressure.
That’s made many people unwilling to deal with extra frustrations —a trend that’s alive and well according to recent travel data.
From Barron's
He would later portray himself as a conscience-stricken and unwilling participant in Hitler’s crimes, and his gamble on the sympathy of the judges at Nuremberg paid off.
It showed that England had not done their homework, are not able to adapt or are unwilling to adapt.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
