unwillingness

/' n'wili nis/

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Word: Unwillingness

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition:

Unwillingness is the quality or state of not wanting to do something. When someone has an unwillingness to do something, it means they are not ready or are reluctant to take action or participate.

Usage Instructions:

• Unwillingness is used when talking about someone's attitude or feelings towards doing something.
• It is often followed by the preposition "to" when specifying what the person is unwilling to do.

Example Sentence:

• "Her unwillingness to join the team made it difficult for everyone to work together."

Advanced Usage:

• You can use "unwillingness" in more formal or academic discussions to describe a person's lack of desire to engage in a certain activity or to cooperate with others.
• It can also be used to discuss broader issues, such as societal or organizational reluctance.

Word Variants:

• Unwilling (adjective): Describing someone who does not want to do something.
  • Example: "He was unwilling to share his thoughts."
• Willingness (noun): The opposite of unwillingness; the state of being ready or eager to do something.
  • Example: "Her willingness to help was appreciated by everyone."

Different Meaning:

While "unwillingness" specifically refers to reluctance or refusal to do something, it can also imply a deeper emotional state, such as fear, doubt, or discomfort about the situation.

Synonyms:

• Reluctance
• Disinclination
• Hesitation
• Resistance

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Go along with" – This means to agree or cooperate. Unwillingness can lead someone not to go along with a plan.

  • Example: "His unwillingness to go along with the idea surprised everyone."

• "Drag one's feet" – This means to delay or be slow in doing something because of reluctance.

  • Example: "She was dragging her feet on the project due to her unwillingness to work with the new team."

Summary:

Unwillingness is a noun that describes not wanting to do something, often leading to difficulties in cooperation or action.

Academic

Noun

1. the trait of being unwilling
   • his unwillingness to cooperate vetoed every proposal I made
   • in spite of our warnings he plowed ahead with the involuntariness of an automaton

Synonyms

• involuntariness