# reluctant

/ɹiˈɫəktənt/ (US) · /ɹɪlˈʌktənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/reluctant
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. defiant

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

showing strong resistance or being difficult to control.

For teachers: exhibiting resistance, defiance, or a refractory nature.

- The reluctant horse refused to move even when offered a carrot.
- The poet described the reluctant soil of the wasteland, which resisted every attempt at cultivation by the weary farmers.

### 3. non-greedy matching

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

in computer programming, matching as little text as possible when searching.

For teachers: describing a quantifier that matches the shortest possible string; also known as non-greedy.

- You should use a reluctant quantifier if you only want to find the first match.
- By default, the engine uses greedy matching, but you can switch to a reluctant approach to capture the smallest possible substring.

## Examples

- She was reluctant to leave the party early.
- The witness was reluctant to speak with the police until they promised to keep his identity secret.
- Despite the potential for high returns, many investors remained reluctant to enter the market while the political situation remained so volatile and unpredictable.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.