reluctant

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

re·luc·tant AW BrE [rɪˈlʌktənt] NAmE [rɪˈlʌktənt] adjective
hesitating before doing sth because you do not want to do it or because you are not sure that it is the right thing to do
•reluctant agreement
•~ (to do sth) She was reluctant to admit she was wrong.
•He finally gave a reluctant smile.
•a reluctant hero (= a person who does not want to be called a hero)
Derived Words: ↑reluctance ▪ ↑reluctantly

Word Origin:
mid 17th cent. (in the sense ‘writhing, offering opposition’): from Latin reluctant- ‘struggling against’, from the verb reluctari, from re- (expressing intensive force) + luctari ‘to struggle’.

Thesaurus:
reluctant [reluctance reluctant reluctantly] adj.
•She was reluctant to admit she was wrong.
unwilling • • grudging •
Opp: eager
reluctant/unwilling to do sth
reluctant/unwilling/grudging acceptance
a reluctant/grudging admiration/admission

Example Bank:
•For a moment, he felt almost reluctant to leave.
•She was curiously reluctant to talk about the experience.
•Students may feel reluctant to ask questions.
•The monarchy was notoriously reluctant to embrace change.
•He was understandably reluctant to act as a witness.
•They nodded in reluctant agreement.
•a reluctant hero

• Từ đồng nghĩa / Synonyms:
  loath, loth