SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS

reluctant

adjective

Hesitant or unwilling to do something.

Compare the alternatives Definition and examples

Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.

Unwilling or hesitant

Closest synonyms

unwilling hesitant disinclined loath resistant averse

Related words and expressions

These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.

Usage distinction

Reluctant concerns willingness to act. Reticent specifically concerns speaking or revealing thoughts; doubtful concerns uncertainty rather than unwillingness.

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Test this word in the Comprehensive Synonym Exam

CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT

See reluctant in use

She was reluctant to approve a plan that omitted the maintenance costs.

Dictionary practice example.

The organizer next tried to temporize by requesting another discussion mainly to gain time before choosing a title. A second member was reluctant to publish because he still disliked how both names described the group.

From When Delays Become the Problem.

Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.

Synonym reference scope and sources

The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.

How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license

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