reluctantly

adverb

re·​luc·​tant·​ly ri-ˈlək-tənt-lē How to pronounce reluctantly (audio)
Synonyms of reluctantly
: 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
He is about to release 'Thriller,' and today he's agreed, reluctantly, to sit for the Rolling Stone cover.—Gerri Hirshey
Kirsti 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

Examples of reluctantly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pitman kept both the plate and the nickname, reluctantly. — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 So Coerte reluctantly wrote Kilmer’s character out of the script. — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 17 June 2026 At first, many reluctantly signed up at the urging of their wives, some of whom had previously attended her women’s retreats. — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 21 June 2026 Both works follow a family of birds whose homebody father reluctantly agrees to a road trip-esque migration. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for reluctantly

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reluctantly was in 1646

Browse Nearby Words

reluctant dragon
reluctantly
reluctate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reluctantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reluctantly. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reluctantly

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for reluctantly

Nglish: Translation of reluctantly for Spanish Speakers

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