UNWILLINGNESS Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

unwillingness

noun

Definition of unwillingness

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Recent Examples of unwillingness In some systems, the greatest danger is not the mistake itself, but the unwillingness to learn. — Nisha Narayanan, STAT, 5 June 2026 Fazio, who voted against a higher minimum wage and other key labor bills, said his absence did not reflect an unwillingness to listen to labor. — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026 Yet many also revealed an unwillingness to surrender entirely to despair. — Sean Murphy, The Conversation, 25 June 2026 The tournament’s special status — its unwillingness to place any person above the sport — is part of why Williams wanted to play singles, not just doubles with her sister Venus, after waffling on the decision. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 30 June 2026 The president’s intense desire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz has taken priority over longer-term concerns, conceding the initiative to Iran by his unwillingness to act. — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 28 June 2026 His unwillingness to back Hilton drew a roundabout rebuke from California Republican Party Chair Corrin Rankin. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026 Such large numbers could have been a driving factor in the reluctance or unwillingness of plan sponsors to participate in the BALANCE model as it was originally designed. — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 The state attributed the delays in Walker-Yeager’s case not to their unwillingness to present discovery, but rather, in part, due to Walker-Yeager’s choice to change her attorneys, noting that Walker-Yeager is on her sixth, court documents read. — Sofi Zeman june 2, Kansas City Star, 2 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwillingness

reluctance

Noun

Bill Clinton’s reluctance to commit ground troops in areas of distress.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 July 2026
The outlet noted that concerns about travel restrictions, including those from the US, and the impact on the local tourism industry may be driving the country’s reluctance to share more information.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026

Definition of reluctance

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unwillingly

unwillingness

unwind

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“Unwillingness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwillingness. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of unwillingness

noun

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