Synonyms
Examples of unwilling in a Sentence
He was an unwilling participant in the demonstration.
unwilling contributions from city employees who felt pressured to do so
Recent Examples on the Web
Depth and art are not a license to impose behavior on those who are young, confused, vulnerable, trusting yet unwilling.
—
Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2025
The characters are not wholly irredeemable, and some do arrive through meditation and self-reflection at meaningful answers about their compulsions, even as others remain unwilling to consider such questions about their motivations (and how their actions affect other people).
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2025
His doctor at the ALS clinic recommended a feeding tube, but Richard refused, unwilling to risk recovery time.
—Wash Westmoreland, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
Spokespeople for the Homeland Security and Defense Departments have been unwilling or unable to answer detailed questions about what is happening to the migrants at the base.
—Carol Rosenberg, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unwilling 
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Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2025
The characters are not wholly irredeemable, and some do arrive through meditation and self-reflection at meaningful answers about their compulsions, even as others remain unwilling to consider such questions about their motivations (and how their actions affect other people).
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2025
His doctor at the ALS clinic recommended a feeding tube, but Richard refused, unwilling to risk recovery time.
—Wash Westmoreland, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
Spokespeople for the Homeland Security and Defense Departments have been unwilling or unable to answer detailed questions about what is happening to the migrants at the base.
—Carol Rosenberg, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unwilling
Dictionary Entries Near unwilling
Cite this Entry
“Unwilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwilling. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unwilling
adjective
un·will·ing
ˌən-ˈwil-iŋ 
ˈən-
: not willing
unwillingly
adverb
unwillingness
noun
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