How to use reluctant in a sentence

Examples of reluctant by meaning

More sentences with reluctant

• She bent down to gather the reluctant cat from beneath the chair.From the entry gather
• Noticing the fiver that fell out his friend's pocket, he was reluctant to behave immorally.From the entry immorally
• A month ago the new smoking ban turned thousands of bar-room habitués into reluctant exiles from their usual corner seat.From the entry habitué
• I want to learn how to drive a motorbike, but I'm still reluctant to do it just yet; I've got other projects to wrap up first.From the entry just yet
• The difference between Ukrainian refugees and other reluctant exiles is that Ukrainians are desperate to return.2024 September 4, Vitali Vitaliev, “A salute to Ukraine's 'Second Army'”, in RAIL, number 1017, page 49. From the entry Ukrainian
• Next to her in the front seat her reluctant passenger grumbled.2015, Alex Howard, A Hard Woman to Kill (DCI Hanlon Series; 3). From the entry fantabulosa
• Fathers were reluctant to release married sons from gandu and seldom granted them gayauna.2014, Paul Clough, Morality and Economic Growth in Rural West Africa. From the entry gandu
• "Hiyah, honeysweets; good candy!" She saluted him and then placed his reluctant hand on her trembling thigh.2014, Harlan Ellison, Over the Edge: Stories and Essays. From the entry hiyah
• Being “reluctant exiles,” they have succeeded in planting their roots in Canada.[2013, Lan-hung Nora Chiang, “Different Voices: Identity Formation of Early Taiwanese Migrants in Canada”, in Immigrant Adaptation in…. From the entry Huaqiao
• I don't know why I was so reluctant to talk about it, even to her.2012, Sally Heinrich, Hungry Ghosts, Hachette UK, →ISBN. From the entry jinx
• They are reluctant to risk themselves to explore new people, places, or adventure.2011, Barbara Killinger, Achieving Inner Balance in Anxious Times. From the entry forethinker
• People were reluctant to slam a bonnet shut in those days.2004, David Spencer, quoted in Don Loffler, The FJ Holden: A Favourite Australian Car, page 217. From the entry bonnet
• The Germans (and the United Kingdomers) are reluctant to abandon their currency.1994 October 18, Matti Linnanvuori, “Descartes to mar the ecu?^([sic])”, in eunet.politics (Usenet), archived from the original on 04 Jul…. From the entry United Kingdomer
• Cuomo, though, has been reluctant to invoke the symbolism of another R-word: Republican.1993, Sam Roberts, “Mayoral Campaign Tests The Loyalty of Democrats”, in The New York Times, page B2. From the entry r-word
• Thus the Maithilas in the main land were reluctant to admit these Pravāsi Maithilas into their fold.1991, Jagdish Chandra Jha, Migration and Achievements of Maithila Paṇḍitas: The Migration Scholars of Mithila, 800-1947 A.D., Janaki…. From the entry Maithila
• Artist and audience are bound together in a three-legged race, sometimes reluctant partners, sometimes joyful in synchroneity.1979 April 13, Jocelyn Paine, “The partnership of artist and audience”, in Anchorage Daily News, retrieved 24 Aug 2010, page D1. From the entry synchroneity
• Step by reluctant step, he had come to know his weird.1965, Poul Anderson, The Corridors of Time, page 226. From the entry weird
• I was reluctant, but so blazed that I let them.2012, The Shy-Tiger, Dressed Up Garbage Can, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 32. From the entry blazed
• In the wild west of the Internet, states have been reluctant to work together for this common purpose.2012, Peter M. Haas, John A. Hird, Controversies in Globalization: Contending Approaches to International Relations, page 229. From the entry wild west
• However, rapid urbanization would be a major break from India's past as the country has been, so far, a reluctant urbanizer.2008, Sanjeev Sanyal, The Indian renaissance: India's rise after a thousand years of decline, page 193. From the entry urbanizer
• British English speakers are reluctant yod-droppers here.2002, Kate Burridge, Blooming English: Observations on the Roots, Cultivation and Hybrids of the English Language, ABC Books, →ISBN, page 31. From the entry yod-dropper
• But reformers counter that, the Garcia case aside, judges often are reluctant to exercise their power to throw out meritless lawsuits.1999 June 16, Warren Richey, “Billion-dollar verdicts revive fairness debate”, in The Christian Science Monitor. From the entry meritless
• While many gay men were reluctant to support the AIDS ward, straight women and lesbians didn’t hesitate one moment.1999, John-Manuel Andriote, “Rallying the Troops”, in Victory Deferred: How AIDS Changed Gay Life in America, Chicago, Ill.; London: The…. From the entry straight woman
• Most of my employers knew I was a graduate student, and fortunately, most seemed reluctant to ask me too many questions.1992, Mary Romero, “Intersection of Biography and History: My Intellectual Journey”, in Maid in the U.S.A., Routledge, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 6. From the entry abd
• At that age, I would have been reluctant to see myself as the urgent stallion and Veronica as the skittish mare.1992, Scott Russell Sanders, “Wayland”, in Joseph Epstein, Robert Atwan, editors, The Best American Essays 1993, New York, N.Y.: Ticknor &…. From the entry humanflesh
• The landlord was reluctant to say anything over the phone and suggested that he and the torch should meet.1984 March, Herbert F. Weisberg, Judith D. Feins, Jan Schreiber, “The Investigative Process: Getting Cases to Prosecution”, in Arson…. From the entry torch
• He certainly was a reluctant dragon, for a long time.1979, A History of Cancer Control in the United States, 1946-1971. From the entry reluctant dragon
• The Trade Department is reluctant to introduce the sale of frozen fish in 'wet' markets for fear of profiteering by hawkers.1978 July 13, “Frozen fish: Fear of profiteering at 'wet' markets”, in The Straits Times, Singapore. From the entry wet market
• Since other enemy forces were attacking Yü-lin in the west, the Chairman was reluctant to channel all his strength upon Sha-chia-tien.1977, Roxane Witke, Comrade Chiang Chʻing, Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 214. From the entry Yü-lin
• I should be very reluctant, as head of His Majesty's Government, to place such an invidious responsibility upon a British officer.1951, Winston S[pencer] Churchill, Closing the Ring (The Second World War), Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, →OCLC, book II (Teheran to…. From the entry invidious
• Eugene Tunney, the Shakespearologist, is so reluctant to surrender.1946 February 8, Commodore, “What Price Kansas?”, in Chicago Daily Tribune, volume CV, number 34, Chicago, Ill., page 16, column 3. From the entry Shakespearologist
• Throughout Israel’s history, the Haredim have been reluctant participants in mainstream society, often prioritizing the study of scripture over conventional employment and army service.2021 February 17, Dan Balilty, Patrick Kingsley, “‘How Many Funerals Will Come Out of This One?’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN. From the entry Haredi
• Wallace beats his palm against the reluctant handle of the faucet until it gives way, and the water comes out too hard, too fast.2020, Brandon Taylor, Real Life, Daunt Books Originals, page 80. From the entry faucet
• But if the saying that those who want to govern, shouldn’t, applies here, does it really stand to reason that reluctant, brooding, can’t-be-bothered-to-say-goodbye-to-Ghost-the-good-boy types should?2019 May 5, Danette Chavez, “Campaigns are Waged On and Off the Game Of Thrones Battlefield (Newbies)”, in The A.V. Club, archived from…. From the entry stand to reason
• Oh, bore off, thought Evelyn to herself, as Simon and Patricia trooped off down the stairs, half dragging a reluctant Larry with them.2018, Piers Torday, The Lost Magician. From the entry bore off
• It meant the wordless, yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant to start.2013, Koren Zailckas, Mother, Mother: A Novel. From the entry mamihlapinatapai
• Even though they may agree that they should have life insurance, their sales resistance starts to take over and they become reluctant.2012, Benson Smith, Tony Rutigliano, Discover Your Sales Strengths. From the entry sales resistance

Meaning of reluctant

1. adjective Not wanting to take some action; unwilling to do something.
2. adjective Contrary; defiant; refractory.
3. adjective Tending to match as little text as possible.

Full definition of reluctant

More about reluctant

• Meaning of reluctant
• Reluctant in Tamil
• Reluctant in Urdu
• Reluctant in Bengali
• Reluctant in Malayalam

Questions about reluctant in a sentence

How do you use reluctant in a sentence?

Reluctant is used as an adjective. For example: “Surprisingly, our new dog is a reluctant ball-retriever.”

What is a short sentence with reluctant?

“British English speakers are reluctant yod-droppers here.”

What does reluctant mean?

Reluctant means not wanting to take some action; unwilling to do something.