adv C1 Advanced Uncommon

reluctantly

rih-LUHK-tuhnt-lee

Reluctantly (adv) means In an unwilling or hesitant way. Example: “He reluctantly handed over his car keys to the valet.”

adv

In an unwilling or hesitant way.

"He reluctantly handed over his car keys to the valet."

"She reluctantly agreed to work the extra shift."

How to use reluctantly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDoing something while clearly not wanting to.

more reluctantly comparative, most reluctantly superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

He _____ handed over his car keys to the valet.

instantly elegantly valiantly blatantly distantly abundantly constantly pleasantly importantly incessantly brilliantly triumphantly

What does “reluctantly” mean?

The word “reluctantly” means in an unwilling or hesitant way. In plain terms, doing something while clearly not wanting to.

How do you pronounce “reluctantly”?

“Reluctantly” is pronounced rih-LUHK-tuhnt-lee (/ɹɪˈlʌktəntli/ in IPA).

How do you use “reluctantly” in a sentence?

Here is “reluctantly” used in a sentence: “He reluctantly handed over his car keys to the valet.”

What part of speech is “reluctantly”?

“Reluctantly” is an adverb.

Is “reluctantly” a common word?

“Reluctantly” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.