reluctance
noun
re·luc·tance
ri-ˈlək-tən(t)s 
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
The reason for this reluctance goes back more than a quarter of a century — to a time when some of the current cabinet were still at school.
—
Ian King, CNBC, 18 Mar. 2026
From Europe to the Indo-Pacific, governments are signaling reluctance to be drawn into direct military action, instead emphasizing diplomacy, legal constraints or limited defensive contributions.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
Thune has taken weeks of slings and arrows from the Right over his reluctance to weaken the Senate filibuster, a 60-vote threshold that is keeping the SAVE America Act from becoming law.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 16 Mar. 2026
But patience can slip into complacency, and Xi’s reluctance to offer more than lip service and trade deals to allies may prove that China isn’t a suitable alternative to America’s global leadership.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
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Ian King, CNBC, 18 Mar. 2026
From Europe to the Indo-Pacific, governments are signaling reluctance to be drawn into direct military action, instead emphasizing diplomacy, legal constraints or limited defensive contributions.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
Thune has taken weeks of slings and arrows from the Right over his reluctance to weaken the Senate filibuster, a 60-vote threshold that is keeping the SAVE America Act from becoming law.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 16 Mar. 2026
But patience can slip into complacency, and Xi’s reluctance to offer more than lip service and trade deals to allies may prove that China isn’t a suitable alternative to America’s global leadership.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reluctance
Cite this Entry
“Reluctance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reluctance. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reluctance
noun
re·luc·tance
ri-ˈlək-tən(t)s
: the quality or state of being reluctant
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