willing

adjective

will·​ing ˈwi-liŋ 

1

: inclined or favorably disposed in mind : ready

willing and eager to help

2

: prompt to act or respond

lending a willing hand

3

: done, borne, or accepted by choice or without reluctance

a willing sacrifice

4

: of or relating to the will or power of choosing : volitional

willingly

ˈwi-liŋ-lē 

adverb

willingness noun

Synonyms

• amenable
• disposed
• fain
• game
• glad
• inclined
• minded
• ready

Choose the Right Synonym for willing

voluntary, intentional, deliberate, willing mean done or brought about of one's own will.

voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion.

a voluntary confession

intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved.

the intentional concealment of vital information

deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences.

deliberate acts of sabotage

willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another.

willing obedience

Examples of willing in a Sentence

He was a willing participant in the crime.

She's lending a willing hand.

Recent Examples on the Web

The main one that came out of Philadelphia was the idea that the team was willing to trade its All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm, as long as the team could find a suitable replacement in free agency. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2024

If investors remain willing to pay a premium for growth stocks, SCHD’s performance could trail that of SPY. —Garth Friesen, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024

Yet even that leverage would likely prove insufficient in the face of a Trump administration willing to tank North American integration. —Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 30 Nov. 2024

Scrap was cheap, even free, because few people were willing to pay for it. —Vince Beiser, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing willing

• God willing
• show willing
• the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Kids Definition

willing

adjective

will·​ing ˈwil-iŋ 

1

: feeling no objection : ready

willing to go

2

: prompt to act or respond

willing workers

3

: done, made, or given by choice

a willing sacrifice

willingly adverb

willingness noun