noun
reluctance
rih-LUHK-tuhns
noun
1
Unwillingness or hesitation to do something.
"He agreed, but with obvious reluctance."
"Her reluctance to speak in public held her back at work."
How to Use Reluctance
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA hesitance or unwillingness to do something.
Common pairings
show reluctance
with reluctance
overcome reluctance
Word Forms
reluctances plural
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He agreed, but with obvious _____.
Etymology
From reluct (an older verb meaning "to struggle against") plus the noun-forming suffix -ance, ultimately from Latin reluctari, "to struggle against, resist."