reluctant — unwilling and hesitant; disinclined
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: unwilling and hesitant; disinclined
Pronunciation (IPA): /rɪˈlʌktənt/
Example Sentences
- My cat is reluctant to take a bath, as if water were made of lava.
- He was reluctant to admit that he had been singing in the shower for two hours.
- The students were reluctant to hand in their assignments on Monday morning.
reluctant
ADJECTIVE[/rɪˈlʌktənt/]
unwilling and hesitant; disinclined
Hesitant or unwilling to take action despite expectation.
The reluctant player finally joined the game after encouragement. (RESIST + UNWILLING = RELUCTANT)
The reluctant student became confident and eventually felt triumphant.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin reluctari, meaning 'to struggle against' or 'to resist', composed of re- (back) and luctari (to struggle or fight). The word entered English in the 16th century to describe someone who resists or opposes something.
Breakdown
re- (back/against) + luct (struggle) + -ant (adjective suffix indicating a quality or state) = reluctant
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat is reluctant to take a bath, as if water were made of lava.”
“He was reluctant to admit that he had been singing in the shower for two hours.”
“The students were reluctant to hand in their assignments on Monday morning.”
“She was reluctant to throw away her collection of 500 rubber ducks.”
📚Related Words
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