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

He is about to release 'Thriller,' and today he's agreed, reluctantly, to sit for the Rolling Stone cover.

—Gerri Hirshey

Kirsti 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

Examples of reluctantly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That turned out to be the case with Biden, who reluctantly ended his presidential reelection campaign in July 2024. — Nancy Forster-Holt, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026

While Brian rode off to war, Ellen reluctantly returned to Leoch, fully aware of the wrath awaiting her from Colum in particular. — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026

His delivery is a stark contrast to the recording, which soars almost reluctantly, and his voice is as determined as ever. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026

Learning that countless more people will lose their lives on account of his neglect, greed, and stupidity, he is pressed, reluctantly, into a most self-serving mode of damage control. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above