What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Reluctance vs Reticence - What's the difference?

reluctance | reticence |

As nouns the difference between reluctance and reticence

is that reluctance is unwillingness to do something while reticence is tight-lippedness, discretion, avoidance of saying too much.

reluctance

English

Noun

  • Unwillingness to do something.
  • Hesitancy in taking some action.
  • (physics) That property of a magnetic circuit analogous to resistance in an electric circuit.

    • Derived terms

    * reluctance motor

    Related terms

    * reluctant, adjective * reluctantly, adverb

    reticence

    English

    Noun

  • tight-lippedness, discretion, avoidance of saying too much
  • a silent and reserved nature

    • Quotations

    * 1890 , Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray : *:Basil's absurd fits of jealousy, his wild devotion, his extravagant panegyrics, his curious reticences , — he understood them all now, and he felt sorry. * 1897 , Bram Stoker, Dracula : *: You must not be angry with him, Art, because his very reticence means that all his brains are working for her good.(attention)

    Synonyms

    * reserve, secrecy, taciturnity * bashfulness, demureness, diffidence, quietness, reservation, shyness, timidity

    Antonyms

    * openness, talkativeness * loquaciousness, ostentation

    Related terms

    * reticent, reticently