Meaning & use
unwilling
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Meanings
adjectiveafter a verb
Not ready or prepared to do something, because you do not want to or are against the idea.
Grammar: Usually followed by to plus a verb: she was unwilling to move.
Patterns
- unwilling to do something
- be unwilling to admit something
The manager was unwilling to change the schedule at such short notice.
Many voters are unwilling to pay higher taxes for a service they rarely use.
After the argument, he seemed unwilling to talk about it again.
adjectivebefore a noun
Made to take part in something against your wishes, or giving help only because there is no choice.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: an unwilling witness, not a witness who is unwilling.
Patterns
- an unwilling participant
- an unwilling helper
The shy student became an unwilling star of the school play.
They dragged the unwilling donkey up the hill.
She was an unwilling witness who feared what her neighbors would say.
Word forms
| comparative | more unwilling |
|---|---|
| superlative | most unwilling |
Common combinations
- unwilling to admit
- He was unwilling to admit that he had made a mistake.
- unwilling to compromise
- Both sides were unwilling to compromise, so the talks collapsed.
- an unwilling participant
- The child was an unwilling participant in the family photo.
- seem unwilling
- The landlord seemed unwilling to fix the heating.
- remain unwilling
- The company remained unwilling to share its data.
Synonyms and how they differ
- reluctant
- Reluctant suggests hesitation that may still be overcome, while unwilling often sounds firmer and closer to a refusal.
- loath
- Loath is a formal, slightly old-fashioned word that is almost always followed by to and stresses strong dislike of the action.
- averse
- Averse is formal and is normally used in the pattern averse to something, expressing a general dislike rather than a decision not to act.
- disinclined
- Disinclined is more formal and milder, suggesting a lack of desire rather than active opposition.
Opposites
Word family
- unwillingly adverb
- in a reluctant way, against your wishes
- unwillingness noun
- the state of not wanting to do something
- willing adjective
- ready and happy to do something
- willingly adverb
- in a way that shows you are glad to do it
- willingness noun
- readiness to do something
Commonly confused: unwilling or unable?
unwilling vs unable
Unable means you cannot do something because of lack of ability or opportunity, while unwilling means you could but do not want to.
Practice
Which sentence correctly shows that the speaker could help but chooses not to?
Choose one answer.
Unwilling plus to and a base verb expresses a choice not to act. The second option uses unable, which means a lack of ability, and the last two use incorrect patterns.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unwilling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.