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adj

loath

lohth
adj
1
Reluctant or unwilling to do something.
"She was loath to admit she had made a mistake."
"He seemed loath to leave the party early."

How to Use Loath

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUnwilling or reluctant — always used with "to" plus a verb, as in "loath to leave".

Common mistake

Don't confuse "loath" (adjective, meaning reluctant) with "loathe" (verb, meaning to hate).

Easily confused with
Common pairings
loath to admit loath to leave nothing loath

Word Forms

loather comparative, loathest superlative

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Fill the Gap

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She was _____ to admit she had made a mistake.

Etymology

From Old English lāð ("hateful, hostile"), an ancestor shared with "loathe" and "loathsome".

Related Words

Rhymes for loath

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial