reluctance
gb/ɹɪlˈʌktəns/ us/ɹɪlˈʌktəns/
B1
English
~ 7100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
unwillingness to do something
A feeling of not wanting to do something.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s reluctance to [do something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes write *"reluctancy"* instead of the correct noun "reluctance." Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition, for example *"reluctance of do"* instead of the correct pattern "reluctance to do [something]."
Synonyms
unwillingness (Very close in meaning; a direct and neutral synonym.)
|
hesitation (Suggests pause or doubt before acting, not always strong emotional resistance.)
|
resistance (Adds a stronger sense of active opposition, not just a quiet feeling of not wanting to do something.)
Antonyms
willingness (Direct opposite: a ready attitude to do something.)
|
eagerness (Stronger and more positive than willingness, showing active desire instead of reluctance.)
Collocations
show reluctance
|express reluctance
|initial reluctance
|reluctance to change
|reluctance to talk
|with reluctance
Themes
emotions
|communication
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her initial reluctance to speak in the meeting disappeared once she felt more comfortable.
- There is growing reluctance among voters to support the new policy.
- He agreed to help, but I could hear the reluctance in his voice.
- The child's reluctance to go to school worried her parents.
Learner examples
- I felt great reluctance to ask for more money.
- His reluctance to travel alone is easy to understand.
- There was clear reluctance in her answer.
- They showed reluctance to change their plan.
Noun
technical
C2
property
2
opposition to magnetic flux
A technical measure of how much a material or path stops or blocks magnetic flow in a magnetic circuit.
Usage pattern:
the reluctance of [a material or core]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this technical sense with the everyday emotional sense of "reluctance." In physics contexts, it does not describe feelings; it describes a property of a magnetic circuit.
Synonyms
magnetic resistance (An informal, explanatory term used to compare reluctance to electrical resistance; not the precise technical term.)
Antonyms
permeance (A technical opposite: high permeance means low reluctance, allowing magnetic flux to pass easily.)
Collocations
magnetic reluctance
|high reluctance
|low reluctance path
|reluctance of the core
|air-gap reluctance
Themes
science
|engineering
|physics
|technology
Examples
- Using a material with lower magnetic reluctance increases the efficiency of the transformer core.
- The air gap introduces significant reluctance into the magnetic circuit.
- Designers aim to minimize reluctance along the main flux path to reduce energy losses.
Learner examples
- The air in a gap has higher reluctance than iron.
- A low-reluctance core helps the motor work better.
- Engineers try to reduce reluctance in the magnetic path.
Grammar
Dictionary form
reluctance
IPA
GB/ɹɪlˈʌktəns/
US/ɹɪlˈʌktəns/
Syllables & stress
re - luct - ance (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (luct)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: reluctance
- Plural: reluctance
Word family
Core family
reluctant
adjective B1
reluctantly
adverb B1
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
reluctance to do something
1/ɹɪlˈʌktəns tə dˈu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
unwillingness to take an action
A feeling of not wanting to do a particular action.
Examples
- Her reluctance to speak in public limited her career options.
- There is growing reluctance to invest in the project.
- His reluctance to apologize made the argument worse.
with reluctance
1/wˈɪθ ɹɪlˈʌktəns/
fixed phrase
in an unwilling way
In a way that shows you do not really want to do something.
Examples
- She accepted the job offer with reluctance, unsure if it was the right move.
- He nodded with reluctance and slowly signed the form.
- The committee agreed, but only with reluctance.