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loth

loth

1 9.9
Not willing to do something
  • adjective
  • /loʊθ/
  • Archaic
: reacio
  • Many students are loth to participate in group discussions due to shyness.

Examples

  • "I am loth to close," he said.

    Academic text (1997)
  • She was loth to join the meeting, preferring to finish her work first.

  • He felt loth to accept the promotion without discussing it with his family.

Synonyms

reluctant
vsloth
216 3.5

Not willing to do something because you feel unsure

expresses general unwillingness without stressing hesitation
unwilling
vsloth
128 3.4

Not wanting to do something and doing it only because you must

focuses on simple reluctance rather than forced or coerced action
averse
vsloth
23 6.4

A person who strongly dislikes something and tries to avoid it

describes milder reluctance rather than intense opposition
loath
vsloth
10 6.9

Not willing to do something

has identical meaning but appears as a variant spelling
disinclined
vsloth
  • Formal
5 6.4

Not willing to do something because you do not really want to

expresses reluctance without pointing to dislike or disapproval
indisposed
vsloth
1 6.8

Not willing to do something

is the simple, neutral term without formal or polite tone

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Ready to do something or to help when asked

389 1.0

Wanting very much to do or have something and showing strong interest

How Reluctant

unwilling
128 3.4
loth
  • Archaic
1 9.9
hesitant
72 3.2

Surface Forms

loth positive

Etymology

The word loth is an old English form of loath, which meant 'hateful' or 'unwilling', and it is the same root as loathe ('to hate'). So if you are loth to do something, you feel 'unwilling' or reluctant to do it.