reluctantly
adverb
re·luc·tant·ly
ri-ˈlək-tənt-lē 
: in a reluctant manner : with aversion or hesitation
The quiet resolution in his voice penetrated her racing thoughts. Reluctantly she gave him a corner of her attention.—
Elizabeth George Speare
Elizabeth George SpeareHe is about to release 'Thriller,' and today he's agreed, reluctantly, to sit for the Rolling Stone cover.—Gerri Hirshey
Gerri HirsheyKirsti had gone to bed reluctantly, complaining that she wanted to stay up with the others, that she was grownup enough, … that it wasn't fair.—Lois Lowry
Lois LowryExamples of reluctantly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After giving birth, Whitehead reluctantly surrendered the baby girl to the Sterns.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
The singing great took a break from rehearsals to talk to The Hollywood Reporter about Bunny’s triumph, the president’s ugly remarks about it, the Beckham family feud that he’s reluctantly been dragged into and his excitement at landing on the Strip.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings When her father dies, Georgia Carter reluctantly books a flight home from London to South Carolina.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
McCaskey was reluctantly forced by circumstance to take over her father’s enterprise.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reluctantly
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Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
The singing great took a break from rehearsals to talk to The Hollywood Reporter about Bunny’s triumph, the president’s ugly remarks about it, the Beckham family feud that he’s reluctantly been dragged into and his excitement at landing on the Strip.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings When her father dies, Georgia Carter reluctantly books a flight home from London to South Carolina.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
McCaskey was reluctantly forced by circumstance to take over her father’s enterprise.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reluctantly
Cite this Entry
“Reluctantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reluctantly. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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