reluctantly
adverb
re·luc·tant·ly
ri-ˈlək-tənt-lē 
: 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
Elizabeth George SpeareHe is about to release 'Thriller,' and today he's agreed, reluctantly, to sit for the Rolling Stone cover.—Gerri Hirshey
Gerri HirsheyKirsti 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
Lois LowryExamples of reluctantly in a Sentence
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Ars Video In the movie, Michelle and Cosmo reluctantly join forces with a smuggler named Keats (Chris Pratt) and his wisecracking robot sidekick, Herman (Anthony Mackie).
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 15 Mar. 2025
Forced to enlist by the United States military, a young physician reluctantly cuts short his medical residency at New York’s Bellevue Hospital and ships out to a remote corner of Greenland.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
Oakey stared at the blank screen and seemingly sighed, and then reluctantly turned towards the window.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
Amy Sedaris plays Nora, who reluctantly calls in after losing her job at a toy store.
—Jeremy Beiler, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctantly
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Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 15 Mar. 2025
Forced to enlist by the United States military, a young physician reluctantly cuts short his medical residency at New York’s Bellevue Hospital and ships out to a remote corner of Greenland.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
Oakey stared at the blank screen and seemingly sighed, and then reluctantly turned towards the window.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
Amy Sedaris plays Nora, who reluctantly calls in after losing her job at a toy store.
—Jeremy Beiler, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reluctantly
Cite this Entry
“Reluctantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reluctantly. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
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