Read full poem →Leads by the hand her little child to bed,
Half willing, half reluctant to be led,
And leave his broken playthings on the floor,
Dictionary Entry
reluctant
Part of SpeechadjectivePronunciation/ɹɪˈlʌktənt/Word FrequencyCommon (5.04)Curriculum FrequencyLess common (1)Used In Literature ↓Opposing; offering resistance (to).
In a Sentence
“Writers often choose reluctant when discussing complex ideas.”
Published Usage Examples
“For those not in the business, the term "reluctant reader" tends to be a synonym for "boy."”
This entry also appears in ReadingWillow Year 12 word lists, so students can move between the dictionary and year-level study sets.
Origin
Late Middle English, from Latin reluctant- ‘opposing’, from the verb relucere ‘to leap back’
Common Phrases
. reluctantconsent reluctant
Poetry examples for “reluctant”
Excerpts from the ReadingWillow English Library collection.
