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
Trump’s reluctance to involve the country in foreign commitments reflects a strand of thinking that has been present in U.S. foreign policy since George Washington warned against permanent alliances in his 1796 Farewell Address.
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Bilahari Kausikan, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
The absence of internal promotion opportunities further fuels frustration, disengagement, and a reluctance from employees to invest in professional development.
—Christine Michel Carter, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
But Ginther added that Kansas’ reluctance to raise its wage floor doesn’t necessarily reflect the will of its population.
—Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2025
The Biden administration’s reluctance to do more to press Israel for improved treatment of civilians undercut support for Democrats in last month’s elections.
—Ellen Knickmeyer, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reluctance 
Bilahari Kausikan, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
The absence of internal promotion opportunities further fuels frustration, disengagement, and a reluctance from employees to invest in professional development.
—Christine Michel Carter, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
But Ginther added that Kansas’ reluctance to raise its wage floor doesn’t necessarily reflect the will of its population.
—Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2025
The Biden administration’s reluctance to do more to press Israel for improved treatment of civilians undercut support for Democrats in last month’s elections.
—Ellen Knickmeyer, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reluctance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reluctance
Noun
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The actor also supported Chalamet’s hesitancy to disclose details about the transformation.Julie Jordan, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
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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
Noun
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The Golden State Warriors may feel that same reticence with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in their mid-30s.Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
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In his view, the reticence to communicate stems from the luxury industry’s historic focus on perfection in design, quality, finishing and store experience, whereas sustainability is an imperfect, perennial work-in-progress.Miles Socha, WWD, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
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As Gaetz's controversies dominated the news cycle and senators on both sides of the aisle expressed hesitance about confirming his nomination, murmurs arose that the Ethics Committee was thinking about finally releasing its report on the lawmaker given the strong public interest.Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
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There was a certain reticence and hesitance from Utah’s shooters.Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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There’s a lot to like about the room, but the highlight, without a doubt, is a sitting area overlooking the garden that doubles as the best seat for the Noh stage.Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 5 Jan. 2025
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However, there is little doubt that the storm will not materialize in the Kansas City area.Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 4 Jan. 2025
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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For example, a financial services organization rolling out a new product and working to generate sales using only CRM data might overlook early signs of buyer hesitation.Eilon Reshef, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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The common signs of vision loss include bumping into objects, difficulty finding food or toys, hesitation with jumping, anxiety, clinginess, or even aggression due to vulnerability.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near reluctance
Cite this Entry
“Reluctance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reluctance. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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