Unwilling

How to spell unwilling

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce unwilling

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does unwilling mean?

1. adjectiveNot wanting or refusing to do something.

Unwilling in a sentence

• The manager was unwilling to approve the extra budget.

• Many tenants are unwilling to sign a longer lease this year.

Where does unwilling come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This word is built entirely from native English elements, which is why it feels so familiar yet is easy to take for granted. The core is the verb and noun 'will', from the Old English 'willa', meaning desire, wish, or determination, a word that traces back to a much older Germanic root for wanting something. The negative prefix 'un-', also Old English and equally Germanic, simply reverses the sense, so the whole word literally describes someone who does not wish or intend to do a thing. The adjectival ending here mirrors the present participle, treating the lack of will as an ongoing state. Because all three parts are plain Anglo-Saxon, the spelling holds no surprises beyond remembering the double letter where un- meets will, giving the 'nw' join and the doubled 'l' in the middle.

How the word is built

• un- (not)
• will (desire, intent)
• -ing (adjective suffix)