as in unwillingness
a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something
the mice showed an odd reluctance to eat the cheese we had put out for them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of reluctance
Camille voiced her need to feel safe before sharing physical intimacy, and while Thomas’s patience was commendable, his reluctance to assert himself might hinder their dynamic.
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Miguel Santiago, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
Following the failure of Trump's controversial selection of former congressman Matt Gaetz as U.S. attorney general, bettors may be banking on Trump's reluctance to choose another nominee likely to face high hurdles in being confirmed by the Senate.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
Biden, who showed his own reluctance to step aside, doesn’t appear likely to ask Sotomayor to give up her lifetime appointment.
—Leonard Greene, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Nov. 2024
Jim Harbaugh’s reluctance to engage in bidding wars for recruits was one reason Michigan was perceived as a long shot in Underwood’s recruitment.
—Austin Meek, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reluctance 
Miguel Santiago, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
Following the failure of Trump's controversial selection of former congressman Matt Gaetz as U.S. attorney general, bettors may be banking on Trump's reluctance to choose another nominee likely to face high hurdles in being confirmed by the Senate.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
Biden, who showed his own reluctance to step aside, doesn’t appear likely to ask Sotomayor to give up her lifetime appointment.
—Leonard Greene, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Nov. 2024
Jim Harbaugh’s reluctance to engage in bidding wars for recruits was one reason Michigan was perceived as a long shot in Underwood’s recruitment.
—Austin Meek, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reluctance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reluctance
Noun
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Even following such an uplifting and dominant win, Newcastle’s baffling, up-and-down campaign demands such hesitancy.Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
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While understandable, this hesitancy can hinder innovative solutions to the sector's challenges.Seth Darling, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Rodgers’ explanations for his reticence to throw it deep have ranged from the offensive line needing to hold blocks for longer to, last week, the Colts defense deploying two-high coverage and forcing him into dump-offs and short throws.Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024
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In person, the actress exudes intellectual intensity and modish English reticence, though there’s a certain mischievous energy, of the kind that defined her early performances, that glimmers in her eyes.Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
Noun
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This hesitance could jeopardize the continent's climate goals and its automotive sector, which is heavily reliant on transitioning to EVs.Robert Rapier, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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As the war in Ukraine escalated and the enmity between Moscow and its Western rivals deepened, Lukashenko's apparent hesitance to fully commit to the conflict seems to have bought him some level of freedom from retaliation.David Brennan, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The path forward was cast into doubt by Trump's statement, with speculation growing that Johnson would scrap the original version of the bill and bring up a narrower funding extension that includes disaster relief.Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2024
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On Tuesday, Reuters reported that eight Republican senators had expressed doubts about Trump's nomination of Gabbard to lead the nation's intelligence community.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Cui said that disinclination is partly because high existing household savings would necessitate a cash infusion of hundreds of billions of dollars to have a notable effect.Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024
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Horowitz’s disinclination to pay his bills has inspired complaints over the years, some on legal stationery.Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Focus on retention, education, activation, new tech and rewarding your people to start the next year with momentum, not hesitation.Yogesh Shah, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
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Despite potential hesitation from fellow Republicans, Trump persists that the former Fox News host is ethically equipped to handle the role.Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 7 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near reluctance
Cite this Entry
“Reluctance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reluctance. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
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