reluctant
[ ri-luhk-tuhnt ]
/ rɪˈlʌk tənt /
adjective
unwilling; disinclined: a reluctant candidate.
struggling in opposition.
Origin of reluctant
SYNONYMS FOR reluctant
1
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.
OTHER WORDS FROM reluctant
Words nearby reluctant
relocation costs,
relocator,
relucent,
reluct,
reluctance,
reluctant,
reluctate,
reluctivity,
relume,
relumine,
rely
Example sentences from the Web for reluctantly
British Dictionary definitions for reluctantly
reluctant
/ (rɪˈlʌktənt) /
adjective
not eager; unwilling; disinclined
archaic
offering resistance or opposition
Derived forms of reluctant
reluctantly, adverbWord Origin for reluctant
C17: from Latin
reluctārī to resist; see
reluct