reluctance

noun

re·​luc·​tance ri-ˈlək-tən(t)s How to pronounce reluctance (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being reluctant
2
: the opposition offered in a magnetic circuit to magnetic flux
specifically : the ratio of the magnetic potential difference to the corresponding flux

Examples of reluctance in a Sentence

the mice showed an odd reluctance to eat the cheese we had put out for them
Recent Examples on the Web Diverse factors are blamed for the reluctance among South Koreans to have kids. Sam Kim, Fortune Asia, 28 Feb. 2024 The greatest hindrance is the reluctance and hesitation to deploy AI models throughout the organization—and rightly so. Ram Chakravarti, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 The country cited criticism from Swedish politicians of Hungary’s democracy as harming relations between the two countries, leading to a reluctance among lawmakers in Orbán's party, Fidesz, to support Sweden's bid. Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2024 The dominance of nonfiction cinema at this year’s edition, meanwhile, felt indicative of a restless mood in the industry, a reluctance to turn away from a world on fire to the comforts of escapism, as artists reckon with their platform and their privilege, and how best to use them. Guy Lodge, Variety, 24 Feb. 2024 This—the self-doubt, the reluctance to be direct—is my first clue that something is not right. Anna Holmes, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2024 Indeed, Biden’s reluctance to tie military aid to Israel to human rights or even to U.S. law has already led to extraordinary moves by members of his own party. Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 The reluctance of Trump-supporting Republicans to back the White House is giving Putin and Russia an edge, according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Vasco Cotovio, CNN, 16 Feb. 2024 And, to add an additional obstacle, with Republicans counting on strong election-day turnout given their voters’ reluctance to engage in early voting, the New York area was pummeled by a severe snowstorm. The Editors, National Review, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reluctance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reluctance was in 1629

Dictionary Entries Near reluctance

Cite this Entry

“Reluctance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reluctance. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reluctance

noun
re·​luc·​tance ri-ˈlək-tən(t)s How to pronounce reluctance (audio)
: the quality or state of being reluctant

More from Merriam-Webster on reluctance

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