Synonyms for loath
- adjective
All synonyms
Adjective
1. Disinclined — averse, disinclined; reluctant, unwilling. Always followed by a verbal phrase
disinclined, reluctant, unwilling, averse, reticent, indisposed, backward, antipathetic, antipathetical
Definitions
- adj. 1
Averse, disinclined; reluctant, unwilling. Always followed by a verbal phrase.
I was loath to return to the office without the Henderson file.
Choose the right word
a, from, and verto, turn) signifies turned away as with dislike or repugnance; loath (AS. lath, evil, hateful) signifies having a repugnance, disgust, or loathing for, tho the adjective loath is not so strong as the verb loathe.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- reluctant Some soldiers were reluctant to obey the commands.
- unwilling Tom seems to be unwilling to testify against Mary.
- averse Some of my friends are strongly averse to AI.
- disinclined I am not at all disinclined to have a glass of good wine.
- swear When angry, count to four. When very angry, swear.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| loath | steady | |
| reluctant | steady | |
| unwilling | steady | |
| averse | rising | |
| disinclined | steady | |
| swear | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- swear1
- 6 letters
- averse2
- 8 letters
- backward2, reticent3
- 9 letters
- reluctant3, unwilling3, relentful
- 10 letters
- indisposed
- 11 letters
- disinclined3
- 12 letters
- antipathetic
- 14 letters
- antipathetical
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (averse2 = 2 syllables).