as in reluctance
a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something
your unwillingness to help with the cooking means that you won't be sharing in the eating
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Recent Examples of unwillingness
Consequently, while the consideration of parental gun behaviors is not entirely absent from custody decisions, its relative rarity suggests a deliberate unwillingness to link them with parental fitness considerations.
—
Marcia Zug, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Dan Skovronsky, Lilly’s chief scientific and product officer, told USA TODAY that a weight-loss pill also should help people overcome barriers such as stigma about obesity or unwillingness to get a shot.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
But ultimately, Rousseau’s inability—or perhaps even unwillingness—to learn French, was just bad business.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
As in the unwillingness to sell out defensively on a consistent basis.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026
When systems fail—whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act—the consequences are not abstract.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
When systems fail -- whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act -- the consequences are not abstract.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
The lack of candor referenced by Peters was a nod to Mullin’s unwillingness to offer details about a past trip abroad, a line of questioning that came about as Peters pressed Mullin to explain past comments that implied the nominee had been in active combat.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 19 Mar. 2026
After Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden overcame a series of scandals and won a tight primary race, candidates who ran against him acknowledged one thing that helped — their own unwillingness to drop out.
—Ryan Oehrli
march 17, Charlotte Observer, 17 Mar. 2026
Marcia Zug, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Dan Skovronsky, Lilly’s chief scientific and product officer, told USA TODAY that a weight-loss pill also should help people overcome barriers such as stigma about obesity or unwillingness to get a shot.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
But ultimately, Rousseau’s inability—or perhaps even unwillingness—to learn French, was just bad business.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
As in the unwillingness to sell out defensively on a consistent basis.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026
When systems fail—whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act—the consequences are not abstract.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
When systems fail -- whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act -- the consequences are not abstract.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
The lack of candor referenced by Peters was a nod to Mullin’s unwillingness to offer details about a past trip abroad, a line of questioning that came about as Peters pressed Mullin to explain past comments that implied the nominee had been in active combat.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 19 Mar. 2026
After Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden overcame a series of scandals and won a tight primary race, candidates who ran against him acknowledged one thing that helped — their own unwillingness to drop out.
—Ryan Oehrli
march 17, Charlotte Observer, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwillingness
reluctance
Noun
-
In the same Easter lunch, the president reiterated some of his complaints about NATO allies for their reluctance to get involved in securing the Strait of Hormuz while suggesting that China, Japan and South Korea could also step up to reopen the waterway.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Crumbley and Gray convictions suggest this reluctance may be waning.—
Marcia Zug,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unwillingness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwillingness. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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