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
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Examples of reluctance in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
From Ramses Prashad’s reluctance to understand Marissa George’s military service or her decision to not go on birth control to Monica Davis and Stephen Richardson discussing their voting history, what once seemed off-limits for the series has taken a central role.
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Monique Wilson, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2024
Zelenskyy met with congressional leaders during his visit to the U.S. in September, but notably absent was Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who in the past has shown reluctance to support continued funding.
—Lena Surzhko Harned, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024
Oakland is in the middle of one of its most turbulent times in decades, fueled by its mayor, Sheng Thao, who is being recalled next month by voters frustrated over crime, corruption, and a reluctance to hold lawbreakers accountable.
—Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Oct. 2024
However, Pickens is not a particularly strong blocker and part of his low snap count is the result of Tomlin’s reluctance to use him on running plays.
—John Perrotto, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reluctance 
Monique Wilson, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2024
Zelenskyy met with congressional leaders during his visit to the U.S. in September, but notably absent was Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who in the past has shown reluctance to support continued funding.
—Lena Surzhko Harned, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024
Oakland is in the middle of one of its most turbulent times in decades, fueled by its mayor, Sheng Thao, who is being recalled next month by voters frustrated over crime, corruption, and a reluctance to hold lawbreakers accountable.
—Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Oct. 2024
However, Pickens is not a particularly strong blocker and part of his low snap count is the result of Tomlin’s reluctance to use him on running plays.
—John Perrotto, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reluctance
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reluctance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Reluctance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reluctance. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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