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reluctant

/ɹɪˈlʌktənt/adjective3 syllables

Reluctant means: unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom.

Synonyms for reluctant6

adjective, as in unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom

loath, loth, unwilling

adjective, as in disinclined to become involved

disinclined

adjective, as in not eager

uneager

also used for reluctant

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What does reluctant mean?3

adjective

1

unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom“a reluctant smile”

2

disinclined to become involved“they were usually reluctant to socialize”

3

not eager“foreigners stubbornly reluctant to accept our ways”

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Reluctant in a sentence

  • Male patients are sometimes reluctant to be examined by female doctors, and vice versa.CK
  • He was rather reluctant, but his brother accepted the offer anyway.unknown
  • For all his cleverness, he is always reluctant to give his views.Dejo
  • Some soldiers were reluctant to obey the commands.orcrist
  • The mother was reluctant to leave her children alone.CK
  • George is reluctant to take on that difficult job.CP
  • I didn't think you'd be reluctant to do that.CK
  • You look like you're reluctant to do that.CK

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.