Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for loath

loath

or loth

[ lohth, lohth ]

adjective

  1. unwilling; reluctant; disinclined; averse:

    to be loath to admit a mistake.

    Antonyms: eager



loath

/ ləʊθ /

adjective

  1. usually foll by to reluctant or unwilling
  2. nothing loath
    nothing loath willing


Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈloathness, noun

Discover More

Other Words From

  • loathness noun
  • over·loath adjective
  • un·loath adjective
  • un·loathly adverb

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of loath1

First recorded before 900; Middle English loth, lath, Old English lāth “hostile, hateful”; cognate with Dutch leed, German leid “sorry,” Old Norse leithr “hateful”

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of loath1

Old English lāth (in the sense: hostile); related to Old Norse leithr

Discover More

Synonym Study

Discover More

Example Sentences

Nevertheless, publishers are loath to let a good crisis go to waste and, like clockwork, are wheeling out a familiar pitch as the search for alternatives to third-party cookies sputters along.

From Digiday

Customize this crispy, cheesy spinach pie any way you like itTo this day I make some version of spanakopita regularly, except in the summer, when I am loath to turn on my oven or spend much time in the kitchen at all.

Although state park officials are loath to expand parking lots at crammed parks, Settina said they are working to expand access to a handful of state properties that have sat largely unvisited.

Still, Republicans are loath to give Democrats any political advantage.

The reports provide an unguarded accounting of bad behavior by airline customers, something executives hit by a steep drop in travel and billions in pandemic-related losses are loath to share themselves.

And while big celebrities loath its intrusion and sloppiness with facts, those chasing fame long to be in its pages.

These officials, however, are loath to talk about him on the record.

Washington, in particular, has been loath to do anything that might escalate.

Perhaps they're loath to identify themselves with a worldview that leaves so little room for nuance.

Similar to his predecessor in office, Obama appears loath to fire his White House staff.

He did not tell the name of his friend, who, as if loath to cross the plank, held back for a few more words.

Young Richard, never loath to fortify himself, proved amenable enough to the stiffly laced Canary that his friend set before him.

This warrior, very loath to miss the spectacle of a burning, sullenly glided after the woman.

The Pallas, as though loath to pass the wreck-pack, was curving inward to follow its rim.

Loath though I am to discredit so charming a story, duty compels me to state that it is wholly fictitious.

Advertisement

Related Words

Discover More

Loath Vs. Loathe

What’s the difference between loath and loathe?

Loath is an adjective that means unwilling, reluctant, or disinclined, as in They are loath to get involved in such a messy situation. Loathe is a verb that means to hate or feel extreme disgust toward, as in I loathe the way he treats his dog or My kids loathe broccoli.  

Loathe always rhymes with the verb clothe. Loath can be pronounced this way, but it can also rhyme with both.

Loath is only ever used as an adjective, and loathe is only ever used as a verb. Both words are generally negative, but loathe is much more negative. Loathe is also the more common of the two words.

The word loathsome is an adjective form of the verb loathe that means causing feelings of loathing—disgusting or revolting. You would describe someone you loathe as loathsome.

Loath is usually followed by the word to and a verb, as in I’m loath to drive that far.

To remember that the verb loathe ends with an e, remember that it means the same thing as hate, which also ends with an e.

Here’s an example of loath and loathe used correctly in a sentence.

Example: I’m loath to think about how much he must loathe me.

Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between loath and loathe.

Quiz yourself on loath vs. loathe!

Should loath or loathe be used in the following sentence?

He was _____ to be so blunt, but he felt it was necessary.

Word of the Day

petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


loanwordloathe