To be loath to do something means to be very reluctant or unwilling to do it. When you're loath to admit you were wrong, you really don't want to say it, even though you know you should. When a swimmer is loath to jump into cold water, they hesitate at the pool's edge, dreading that first chilly shock.

The word captures a strong, almost visceral reluctance that goes beyond mild preference. The feeling is “I really, really don't want to,” often involving an internal struggle between what you need to do and your powerful resistance to doing it. You might be loath to tell your best friend that their idea won't work, or loath to throw away a worn-out stuffed animal from when you were little.

Important note: Don't confuse loath with loathe (spelled with an e at the end). While loath means reluctant, loathe means to hate or detest something intensely. You might be loath to eat vegetables, but you probably don't loathe them. The similar spelling trips up many people, so it's worth remembering: loath describes reluctance, loathe describes hatred.