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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reluctance
Future policy updates could be positive or negative for the business environment, but uncertainty stemming from all the changes could create reluctance and weigh against willingness to invest in orders.
—
Sj Guest Editorial, Sourcing Journal, 16 May 2025
They, too, have been unsettled by Mr. Trump’s tariff offensive, his dismissal of allies as freeloaders, and his reluctance to support Ukraine.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
What to Know In recent years, Germany has begun moving on from its historic reluctance to demonstrate military strength because of sensitivity to its role in World War II, a shift in attitude accelerated by the Russian threat.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Although inquiries are strong, the path to wider adoption is slow due to strict price constraints and a general reluctance from brands to take risks.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
Sj Guest Editorial, Sourcing Journal, 16 May 2025
They, too, have been unsettled by Mr. Trump’s tariff offensive, his dismissal of allies as freeloaders, and his reluctance to support Ukraine.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
What to Know In recent years, Germany has begun moving on from its historic reluctance to demonstrate military strength because of sensitivity to its role in World War II, a shift in attitude accelerated by the Russian threat.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Although inquiries are strong, the path to wider adoption is slow due to strict price constraints and a general reluctance from brands to take risks.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reluctance
Noun
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The gaming industry has been hit hard in recent years with layoffs, delayed funding and investor hesitancy.—
Chris Hewish,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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That’s due to several factors, such as challenges related to cost and access and hesitancy among some cardiologists and primary care physicians.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Yet two years after the team was quick to lock up quarterback Joe Burrow to a long-term contract extension in 2023, its reticence to hand a similarly lucrative extension to edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, despite leading the NFL in sacks last season, has led to an offseason standoff.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
14 May 2025
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In an exclusive excerpt shared with PEOPLE, the author wrote how a major sticking point of the couple's early relationship was Kennedy's reticence to introduce Bessette to his mother.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
13 May 2025
Noun
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But that is where the similarities end, and where the hesitance to believe the Knicks had a chance at the reigning champs seeps in deep.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2025
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This hesitance only reinforces the false narrative that race is a divisive topic rather than an integral part of understanding American society.—
Anne Tapp Jaksa,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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While some states, including Mississippi, have backed calls to divest public pensions from China, the southern state’s most recent asset disclosures cast some doubt over its commitment to doing so.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
30 May 2025
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There is little doubt about where Fils will want to play.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Its weakness is an intermittent lack of vulnerability and an occasional disinclination to leave all of that behind and pull out individual characters who have figured out that their travails flow from the difficulty of stopping American family life from turning into a Sam Shepard play.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
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On the contrary, these works form a trail of historical and imagined personalities, full of desires and disinclinations that misalign.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
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However, during the hearing, lobbyists for both the Chiefs and Royals would not commit to staying in Missouri if the plan passed, which could spark hesitation among some senators.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
3 June 2025
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At the time, there was some hesitation in the industry about partnering with a Chinese drugmaker.—
Kerry A. Dolan,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reluctance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reluctance. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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