Basic Details
Word: Reluctance
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Unwillingness to do something, so that you do it slowly or not at all.
Synonyms: unwillingness, hesitation
Antonyms: eagerness, willingness, enthusiasm
Word origin: From Latin reluctari, to struggle against.
How to Spell Reluctance
Syllables: re - luc - tance
Tricky part: The ending is ance, matching the a in reluctant. Students often write reluctence, or add a k after the c.
Watch out for: reluctence, relactance, relucktance
Memory tip: Reluctant has an a, so reluctance keeps it: change the final t of reluctant to ce.
Usage Examples
Example 1: With great reluctance, I gave my old cycle to my cousin.
Example 2: The cat's reluctance to get wet makes bath time difficult.
Example 3: Her reluctance to speak on stage faded after a few practice sessions.
Fun Fact
In physics, reluctance is also the name for how strongly a material resists magnetic flux passing through it, a little like resistance in an electric circuit.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word reluctance as used in the sentence:
Rohan showed great reluctance when his mother asked him to leave the cricket match and come home.
a) doubt
b) hesitation
c) unwillingness
d) eagerness
Show answer
d) eagerness. Eagerness means really wanting to do something; Rohan felt the opposite, which hesitation and unwillingness describe.
Word Cookie
One word in this sentence is misspelt. Find it:
With some reluctence, the shopkeeper agreed to lower the price of the brass lamp after we had bargained with him for nearly half an hour.
a) bargained
b) reluctence
c) nearly
d) shopkeeper
Show answer
b) reluctence. Think of reluctant with an a: the noun ends in ance.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence and choose the word they make:
The children climbed out of the swimming pool with tcnlaeceur when the whistle blew.
a) reluctant
b) reluctance
c) resistance
d) relevance
Show answer
b) reluctance. The jumble has two c's and two e's; reluctant lacks the second c and the last e, and the others need an s or a v.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. If you agree with reluctance, you agree ____.
a) unwillingly
b) quickly
c) loudly
d) happily
Show answer
a) unwillingly
2. Someone who feels reluctance about a trip is likely to ____.
a) book it at once
b) keep putting it off
c) tell everyone about it
d) pack the night before
Show answer
b) keep putting it off
