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
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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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
Even a lot of people who identify as being pro-choice, it's almost a reluctant, ambivalent pro-choice. There are some that celebrate it, but there are a lot in that choice community see it as the lesser of two evils in their own decision-making path.
While courts are reluctant to define single-brand markets, it seems appropriate to do so here, if you own an iPhone, you can only buy apps through the Apple App Store... People aren't going to switch phone ecosystems based on the availability of a single app.
I've been reluctant from the beginning trying to advise House Democratic on how they should proceed, now that the speaker has scheduled a vote on the impeachment inquiry, I think the issue has been over taken by events.
Easy in the sense, of course Many Democrats's qualified to be Secretary of Defense. ... It's complicated because this waiver issue is not a minor thing. It's not a technicality. We take it very seriously. We were really reluctant to do it for James Mattis, even under extreme circumstances that don't apply to the situation right now. he believes he can do that.
You have to have an umpire, even if the umpire occasionally gets it wrong, because otherwise you are only accepting analysis by people with motivations define certain answers, and so I am very reluctant to disregard what the CBO score is.
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
Get even more translations for reluctant »
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"reluctant." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Oct. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/reluctant>.
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