[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/unwilling.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / unwilling

[← U](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/U/)

# unwilling

«unwilling» in Mova's school dictionary: **not wanting to do something, doing it only because you…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 2 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (unwilling); adverb unwillingly; noun unwillingness

### meaning for a pupil

1) Unwilling means not wanting to do something, doing it only because you have to: an unwilling helper. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unwilling/#m1)

2) Unwilling to do something means you refuse or are not ready to do it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unwilling/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday life and stories, an unwilling child goes to bed or tidies up; an unwilling hero is pushed into adventure. In formal maths problems, «unwilling to pay more than 20 dollars» sets a limit. Phrases: unwilling to help, an unwilling volunteer.

### examples

- The cat was unwilling to go into its basket. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unwilling/#x1)
- He was unwilling to share his toys. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unwilling/#x2)
- She went to the dentist unwillingly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unwilling/#x3)
- Tom was an unwilling volunteer for the magic trick. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unwilling/#x4)
- Many people were unwilling to go out in the storm. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unwilling/#x5)
- Mia is unwilling to pay more than 10 pounds for the book. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unwilling/#x6)
- He was unwilling at first, but the maiden insisted. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unwilling/#x7)

### note

«Un-» + «willing». Usually followed by «to + verb»: unwilling to go. Similar: reluctant. Opposite: willing, keen, eager. In maths, «unwilling to pay more than 10» means 10 is the most (the price must be 10 or less).

### In the corpora

- ["Clingy" means anxious and unwilling to leave the parent.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/15-behaviour-and-school-reports/8/)
- ["Budget-conscious" means poor or unwilling to spend.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/19-money-and-poverty/16/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «unwilling» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unwilling/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.