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.

Tardy vs Reluctant - What's the difference?

tardy | reluctant | Synonyms |

Tardy is a synonym of reluctant.


As adjectives the difference between tardy and reluctant

is that tardy is late; overdue or delayed while reluctant is opposing; offering resistance (to).

As a noun tardy

is (us) a piece of paper given to students who are late to class.

As a verb tardy

is (obsolete|transitive) to make tardy.

tardy

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Late; overdue or delayed.
  • He yawned, then raised a tardy hand over his mouth.
  • ineffectual; slow-witted, slow to act, or dullard.
  • His tardy performance bordered on incompetence.
  • Moving with a slow pace or motion; not swift.
  • * Sandys
  • Check the tardy flight of time.
  • * Prior
  • tardy to vengeance, and with mercy brave
  • (obsolete) Unwary; unready.
  • (Hudibras)
  • (obsolete) Criminal; guilty.
  • (Collier)

    Synonyms

    * (l), (l)

    Usage notes

    * The term suggests habitual lateness. * Somewhat dated in the United Kingdom.

    Noun

    (tardies)
  • (US) A piece of paper given to students who are late to class.
  • The teacher gave her a tardy because she did not come into the classroom until after the bell.

    See also

    * tardy slip

    Verb

  • (obsolete) To make tardy.
  • (Shakespeare)

    reluctant

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Opposing; offering resistance (to).
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , II.108:
  • There, breathless, with his digging nails he clung / Fast to the sand, lest the returning wave, / From whose reluctant roar his life he wrung, / Should suck him back to her insatiate grave [...].
  • * 2008 , Kern Alexander et al., The World Trade Organization and Trade in Services , p. 222:
  • They are reluctant to the inclusion of a necessity test, especially of a horizontal nature, and emphasize, instead, the importance of procedural disciplines [...].
  • Not wanting to take some action; unwilling.
  • She was reluctant to lend him the money

    Synonyms

    * unwilling, disinclined