Reluctant to do Meaning in English
expression
ri-LUHK-tuhnt tuh DOO
ri-LUK-tuhnt too DOO
Definition
Feeling unwilling or not wanting to do something, usually because of hesitation or doubt.
Usage & Nuances
Common in both formal and informal contexts. Often followed by 'to + verb': 'reluctant to speak.' Suggests hesitancy, not total refusal. Can be used with people or groups ('She was reluctant to leave'). Often confused with 'unwilling' (stronger than 'reluctant').
Spanish: no querer (hacer) - reacio a (hacer)Portuguese (BR): relutante em (fazer) - sem vontade de (fazer)Portuguese (PT): relutante em (fazer) - sem vontade de (fazer)Chinese (Simplified): 不情愿做 - 不愿意做Chinese (Traditional): 不情願做 - 不願意做Hindi: करने के लिए अनिच्छुकArabic: متردد في (القيام بـ) - غير راغب في (القيام بـ)Bengali: অবজ্ঞাত হতে - অনীহা অনুভব করাRussian: неохотно делать - испытывать нежеланиеJapanese: ～したがらない - 気が進まないVietnamese: miễn cưỡng làm - không muốn làmKorean: 하기를 꺼리다 - 마지못해 하다Turkish: yapmaya isteksiz - yapmakta gönülsüzUrdu: کرنے میں ہچکچانا - کرنے کو تیار نہ ہوناIndonesian: enggan melakukan - tidak ingin melakukan
Example Sentences
She is reluctant to do her homework tonight.
basic
Many people feel reluctant to do public speaking.
basic
He was reluctant to do the dishes after dinner.
basic
I’m a bit reluctant to do this if no one else is helping.
natural
He sounded reluctant to do anything about the problem.
natural
They were reluctant to do what was asked but agreed in the end.
natural