reluctantly
adverb
re·luc·tant·ly
ri-ˈlək-tənt-lē 
: in a reluctant manner : with aversion or hesitation
The quiet resolution in his voice penetrated her racing thoughts. Reluctantly she gave him a corner of her attention.—
Elizabeth George Speare
Elizabeth George SpeareHe is about to release 'Thriller,' and today he's agreed, reluctantly, to sit for the Rolling Stone cover.—Gerri Hirshey
Gerri HirsheyKirsti had gone to bed reluctantly, complaining that she wanted to stay up with the others, that she was grownup enough, … that it wasn't fair.—Lois Lowry
Lois LowryExamples of reluctantly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ditto a downtrodden everyman who’s left his white-collar job in Quebec to reluctantly return to Winnipeg.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2025
One clear way to make the money mechanics work is by selling a player, and United would reluctantly consider bids for academy graduates, including Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
—Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Sacramento-area influencer Maddy Edmunds reluctantly joined TikTok in 2021 after spending three years posting content about local businesses and events on Instagram.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025
And so Smith reluctantly makes the drive almost daily.
—Ryan Lillis, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctantly
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David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2025
One clear way to make the money mechanics work is by selling a player, and United would reluctantly consider bids for academy graduates, including Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
—Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Sacramento-area influencer Maddy Edmunds reluctantly joined TikTok in 2021 after spending three years posting content about local businesses and events on Instagram.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025
And so Smith reluctantly makes the drive almost daily.
—Ryan Lillis, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctantly
Cite this Entry
“Reluctantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reluctantly. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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