variants
also loth
or lothe
as in reluctant
slow to begin or proceed with a course of action because of doubts or uncertainty
I was loath to accept his claim of having climbed Mount Everest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of loath
But many state lawmakers are loath to allocate money to schools without guardrails, such as state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, who blamed administrator pay for high education costs.
—
Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Owner Jim Crane is loath to give the type of contract Tucker will command in free agency next winter, but that philosophy didn’t precipitate trades of other homegrown stars like Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa or George Springer.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 June 2025
Public benefits were reserved primarily for the families of veterans, and private charity went almost exclusively to widows, for even do-gooders were loath to let absent fathers off the hook by helping their children.
—Augustine Sedgewick, Time, 13 June 2025
Though cinemas are usually loath to make any major changes to ticket prices, many of the nation’s multiplexes have long offered a deep discount on Tuesdays, which has in turn become one of the most popular times of the week for moviegoing.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for loath
Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Owner Jim Crane is loath to give the type of contract Tucker will command in free agency next winter, but that philosophy didn’t precipitate trades of other homegrown stars like Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa or George Springer.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 June 2025
Public benefits were reserved primarily for the families of veterans, and private charity went almost exclusively to widows, for even do-gooders were loath to let absent fathers off the hook by helping their children.
—Augustine Sedgewick, Time, 13 June 2025
Though cinemas are usually loath to make any major changes to ticket prices, many of the nation’s multiplexes have long offered a deep discount on Tuesdays, which has in turn become one of the most popular times of the week for moviegoing.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for loath
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loath
Adjective
-
Because the construction documents were included with the purchase of the land and building permits had in fact already been granted by the city based on that initial scheme, the new owners were understandably reluctant to start over again from square one.—
Kyle Hoepner,
Architectural Digest,
29 Aug. 2025
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The juvenile court system has long been reluctant to handle curfew violations, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Chris Bailey said last month.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Many people are hesitant to add more medications to their regimen, which is why natural, gut-friendly options – like ginger for nausea – can make a big difference in managing side effects.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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Many migrants are likely hesitant to answer questions from government officials conducting a jobs survey.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loath. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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