What does reluctant mean?
Definitions for reluctant
rɪˈlʌk təntre·luc·tant
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word reluctant.
Princeton's WordNet
loath, loth, reluctantadjective
unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom
"a reluctant smile"; "loath to admit a mistake"
reluctantadjective
disinclined to become involved
"they were usually reluctant to socialize"; "reluctant to help"
reluctantadjective
not eager
"foreigners stubbornly reluctant to accept our ways"; "fresh from college and reluctant for the moment to marry him"
Wiktionary
reluctantadjective
Opposing; offering resistance (to).
reluctantadjective
Not wanting to take some action; unwilling.
She was reluctant to lend him the money
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Reluctantadjective
Unwilling; acting with repugnance.
Etymology: reluctans, Lat.
Reluctant; but in vain! a greater pow’r
Now rul’d him. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. x.Some refuge in the muse’s art I found;
Reluctant now I touch’d the trembling string
Bereft of him, who taught me how to sing. Thomas Tickell.
ChatGPT
reluctant
Reluctant refers to being unwilling or hesitant to do something, generally arising from fear, dislike or unwillingness. It expresses a lack of enthusiasm or resistance towards a particular action or situation.
Webster Dictionary
Reluctantadjective
striving against; opposed in desire; unwilling; disinclined; loth
Reluctantadjective
proceeding from an unwilling mind; granted with reluctance; as, reluctant obedience
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Reluctant
rē-luk′tant, adj. struggling or striving against: unwilling: disinclined.—v.i. Rēluct′, to make resistance.—ns. Reluc′tance, Reluc′tancy, state of being reluctant: unwillingness.—adv. Reluc′tantly.—v.i. Reluc′tāte, to be reluctant.—n. Reluctā′tion, repugnance. [L. reluctans, -antis, pr.p. of reluctāri—re-, against, luctāri, to struggle.]
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'reluctant' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4395
Adjectives Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'reluctant' in Adjectives Frequency: #595
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of reluctant in Chaldean Numerology is: 6
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of reluctant in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6
Examples of reluctant in a Sentence
We were kind of protective of the first one because we were very proud of it, it was very good and it became kind of a cult movie ... and we thought what's the point of risking ... taking away from that legacy, so we were reluctant.
Maybe it shouldn't pose a privacy problem, but some people will be reluctant to provide that to their employer.
There is pent-up demand for exposure to China, but we are probably in a period when the world is happy not to hold too much of it, you get a pretty decent (bond) yield but people will be reluctant to pile in because of expectations of currency depreciation.
What we look for is forward guidance toward the next quarter and the balance of the year, a lot of the companies are a little reluctant now to give that now because everything is so volatile.
We have plenty and enough vaccine but very reluctant citizens -- almost half of the people here are not choosing to get a vaccine.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for reluctant
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- ممانعArabic
- neochotný, zdráhajícíCzech
- widerwillig, zögerndGerman
- renuente, reacioSpanish
- haluton, vastahakoinenFinnish
- réfractaire, rétif, réticent, réservéFrench
- aindeònach, leisgScottish Gaelic
- neuwooiagh, neuarryltaghManx
- kelletlenHungarian
- reluctanteInterlingua
- engganIndonesian
- riluttanteItalian
- מסרבHebrew
- 싫어하는Korean
- invītusLatin
- whakawhēuaua, whakakumu, manauheaMāori
- motvilligNorwegian
- aarzelendDutch
- motvillig, motviljugNorwegian Nynorsk
- niechętnyPolish
- relutantePortuguese
- prevăzătorRomanian
- неохотныйRussian
- motvilligSwedish
- ہچکچاہٹUrdu
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"reluctant." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/reluctant>.
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