as in hesitant
slow to begin or proceed with a course of action because of doubts or uncertainty
I'm reluctant to let you borrow my vintage CDs since you never give back anything I lend you
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Recent Examples of reluctant
However, the claims data, despite a bump earlier in the month, has shown that companies are still reluctant to part with workers even if hiring has declined considerably.
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Jeff Cox, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025
The likely number one reason why sales of new homes have increased across the country in August is that builders have been willing to slash prices and offer incentives to attract reluctant, cautious buyers.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
In the past Berlin has been reluctant to use the funds, citing legal and financial concerns.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
While some were reluctant to reveal their political positions face-to-face, others were refreshingly candid.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reluctant
hesitant
Adjective
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Season one ended on a cliffhanger as Joanne was hesitant to convert to Judaism, despite Noah’s promotion to head rabbi.—
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The Santa Clara County Office of Education and the Santa Clara County Board of Education co-sponsored the bill and said more than 165,000 students in the county live in a mixed-immigration status household and many families live in fear or are hesitant to sent their children to school.—
Cite this Entry
“Reluctant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reluctant. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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