From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishreluctancere‧luc‧tance /rɪˈlʌktəns/ ●○○ AWL noun [singular, uncountable] when someone is unwilling to do something, or when they do something slowly to show that they are not very willing Wells finally agreed, but with reluctance.reluctance to do something a reluctance to share informationCOLLOCATIONSadjectivesgreat/deep/extreme reluctanceHe said the firm had made the job cuts with great reluctance.considerable reluctanceThere was considerable reluctance to question the chairman's judgment. marked reluctance (=great and noticeable)People showed a marked reluctance to accept that the situation was serious.obvious reluctance‘OK, ’ he said, with obvious reluctance.understandable/natural reluctanceHe had an understandable reluctance to accuse his friend of lying.initial reluctanceDespite some initial reluctance, they approved the plan.a certain reluctanceHe showed a certain reluctance to come tonight.
Examples from the Corpus
reluctance• He handed it to Terry with a show of false reluctance, preceding it with a string of apologies.• There are various explanations for his reluctance to do so.• Other resistances or blocks to communication can be more than an initial reluctance to talk about the main issues.• And, with some initial reluctance the two men shook hands.• Despite this initial reluctance, the plan was approved as a pilot project.• With the greatest of reluctance, I decided that it was time I bought myself another detector.• With reluctance Theodora turned to go.reluctance to do something• A subsidiary problem was a reluctance to raise rateable values, the basis of the property tax, in line with market prices.• Many organisations seemed to have an in-built reluctance to defend their actions or even to provide a constructive and forceful image.• What her first impressions of Calcutta were we shall never know, thanks to her reluctance to talk of such matters.• Cooper was in a state of disbelief, tempered only by his reluctance to believe he could possibly be convicted.• Hence his reluctance to start painting before he had mastered the incredibly difficult art of drawing - and drawing the figure especially.• What is surprising about the Metro is its reluctance to being screaming and howling when you start working the engine hard.• Some sectors, moreover, lagged behind completely, by force of circumstances or on account of reluctance to abandon traditional ways.• Davis found that the greater the probable handicap, the greater the reluctance to break the news. 