will

1 of 3

verb (1)

wəl,

(ə)l,

ᵊl,

ˈwil 

past would

wəd,

(ə)d,

ˈwu̇d  ; present singular and plural will

auxiliary verb

1

—used to express futurity

tomorrow morning I will wake up in this first-class hotel suite

—Tennessee Williams

2

—used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent, or in negative constructions refusal

no one would take the job

if we will all do our best

will you please stop that racket

3

—used to express a command, exhortation, or injunction

you will do as I say, at once

4

—used to express frequent, customary, or habitual action or natural tendency or disposition

will get angry over nothing

will work one day and loaf the next

5

—used to express probability and often equivalent to the simple verb

that will be the babysitter

6

a

—used to express inevitability

accidents will happen

b

—used to express determination, insistence, persistence, or willfulness

I have made up my mind to go and go I will

7

—used to express capability or sufficiency

the back seat will hold three passengers

transitive verb

: desire, wish

call it what you will

intransitive verb

: to have a wish or desire

whether we will or no

Shall vs. Will: Usage Guide

From the reams of pronouncements written about the distinction between shall and will—dating back as far as the 17th century—it is clear that the rules laid down have never very accurately reflected actual usage. The nationalistic statements of 18th and 19th century British grammarians, who commonly cited the misuses of the Irish, the Scots, and occasionally the Americans, suggest that the traditional rules may have come closest to the usage of southern England. Some modern commentators believe that English usage is still the closest to the traditionally prescribed norms. Most modern commentators allow that will is more common in nearly all uses. The entries for shall and will in this dictionary show current usage.

will

2 of 3

noun

ˈwil 

1

: a legal declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property or estate after death

especially : a written instrument legally executed by which a person makes disposition of his or her estate to take effect after death

2

: desire, wish: such as

a

: disposition, inclination

where there's a will there's a way

b

: appetite, passion

c

: choice, determination

3

: the act, process, or experience of willing : volition

4

a

: mental powers manifested as wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending

b

: a disposition to act according to principles or ends

c

: the collective desire of a group

the will of the people

5

: the power of control over one's own actions or emotions

a man of iron will

6

a

: something desired

especially : a choice or determination of one having authority or power

b(1)

[from the phrase our will is which introduces it] : the part of a summons expressing a royal command

(2)

archaic : request, command

will

3 of 3

verb (2)

ˈwil 

willed; willing; wills

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause or change by an act of will

believed he could will himself to succeed

also : to try to do so

b

: intend, purpose

c

: decree, ordain

Providence wills it

d

: to determine by an act of choice

2

a

: to dispose of by or as if by a will : bequeath

willed his entire estate to his son

b

: to order or direct by a will

willed that her property be divided among her children

intransitive verb

1

: to exercise the will

2

: choose

do as you will

Phrases

if you will

: if you wish to call it that

a kind of preoccupation, or obsession if you will

—Louis Auchincloss

at will

: as one wishes : as or when it pleases or suits oneself

Synonyms

Noun

• continence
• restraint
• self-command
• self-containment
• self-control
• self-discipline
• self-government
• self-mastery
• self-possession
• self-restraint
• willpower

Verb (2)

• bequeath
• leave

Examples of will in a Sentence

Noun

In her will, she asked that her money be donated to the church.

He made a will only days before his death.

He has no will of his own.

a government that reflects the will of the people

Verb (2)

willed their house to their adult children

do as you will—I wash my hands of the whole affair

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Business leaders should demand that every vote be counted, and the will of the people prevail. —Jeff Raikes, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

As her body shuts down, Iris must rediscover her will to just not live, but survive. —Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 28 Oct. 2024

Verb

Cincinnati Bengals 34, Carolina Panthers 24: Joe Burrow willed this Bengals team to its first victory of the season. —Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 30 Sep. 2024

These stories and traumas are hard to overstate for Israelis, many of whom feel besieged by hostile actors willing their eradication. —Alexander Smith, NBC News, 6 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English (1st & 3rd singular present indicative), from Old English wille (infinitive wyllan); akin to Old High German wili (3rd singular present indicative) wills, Latin velle to wish, will

Noun

Middle English, from Old English willa will, desire; akin to Old English wille

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2b

Phrases Containing will

• against one's will
• against someone's will
• at will
• bend to the will of (someone)
• boys will be boys
• chuck-will's-widow
• fire at will
• flattery will get you nowhere
• force of will
• free will
• general will
• go against her parents' will
• heads will roll
• how will that be
• how will/would
• ill will
• impose one's will
• it will all come out in the wash
• living will
• (only) time will tell
• self-will
• strength of will
• that will do
• that will/should do it
• the traffic will bear
• what one will
• where there's a will, there's a way
• whip-poor-will
• will be the death of
• will do
• will-less
• will never do
• will-o'-the-wisp
• will pass
• will to power
• with a will
• with the best will in the world
• would/will bet/stake one's life on

Kids Definition

will

1 of 3 verb

wəl 

(ə)l,

ᵊl,

(ˈ)wil

past would wəd 

(ə)d,

(ˈ)wu̇d

; present singular & plural will

1

: wish entry 1 sense 1

call it what you will

2

—used as a helping verb to express (1) desire, willingness, or in negative sentences refusal

will you have another

no one would do it

they won't stop

, (2) regular or usual action

will get angry over nothing

, (3) future action

tomorrow we will go shopping

, (4) capacity or ability

the back seat will hold three people

, (5) determination or willfulness

I will go despite the weather

, (6) inevitability

accidents will happen

, or (7) a command

you will do as I say

will

2 of 3 noun

ˈwil 

1

: firm desire or determination

the will to win

2

: the desire or choice especially of someone in power or authority

the king's will

3

: the process or power of wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending

4

: the power of control over one's own actions or emotions

has an iron will

5

: a legal document that instructs how a person's property is to be divided after death

will

3 of 3 verb

ˈwil 

1

: to leave by or as if by a will : bequeath

willed the house to his daughter

2

: to bring about by an act of choice

willed herself to sleep

3

: order entry 1 sense 2a

it will happen if God wills it

4

: to cause or change by an act of will

willed herself to succeed

5

: to decide on by choice

went wherever they willed

Legal Definition

will

1 of 2 noun

1

: the desire, inclination, or choice of a person or group

2

: the faculty of wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending

3

: a legal declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property after death

especially : a formally executed written instrument by which a person makes disposition of his or her estate to take effect after death see also codicil, living will, testament

— antenuptial will

: a will that was executed by a person prior to that person's marriage and is usually revocable by the court if no provision was made for the person's spouse unless an intention not to make such a provision is manifest

— conditional will

: a will intended to take effect upon a certain contingency and usually construed as having absolute force when the language pertaining to the condition suggests a general purpose to make a will

— counter will

: mutual will in this entry

— holographic will

: a will written out in the hand of the testator and accepted as valid in many states provided it meets statutory requirements (as that no important parts have been altered or replaced in the hand of another and that it has been properly witnessed)

— international will

: a will written in any language and executed in accordance with procedures established as a result of an international convention so as to be valid as to form regardless of the location of its execution or the assets, nationality, domicile, or residence of the testator

Note: A properly executed international will is still subject to local probate laws; the validity deriving from adherence to statutory requirements for such wills is purely formal, and a will invalid in respect to such requirements may still be valid under other rules.

— joint and mutual will

: a single will jointly executed by two or more persons and containing reciprocal provisions for the disposition of property owned jointly, severally, or in common upon the death of one of them

called also joint and reciprocal will

— joint will

: a single will jointly executed by two or more persons and containing their respective wills

the execution of a joint will or mutual wills does not create a presumption of a contract not to revoke the will or wills

—Maine Revised Statutes

compare joint and mutual will in this entry

Note: A joint and mutual will is a joint will, but a joint will need not contain reciprocal provisions.

— mutual will

: one of two separate wills that share reciprocal provisions for the disposition of property in the event of death by one of the parties

a mutual will executed in connection with an agreement based on sufficient consideration is both contractual and testamentary in nature

—Pruss v. Pruss, 514 N.W.2d 335 (1994)

called also counter will, reciprocal will

compare joint and mutual will in this entry

— mystic will

in the civil law of Louisiana : a will signed, sealed, witnessed, and notarized according to statutory procedure

called also mystic testament, secret testament

Note: The Louisiana Civil Code requires that for a mystic will to be valid, the will document itself or the envelope containing it must be closed and sealed and thus presented to the notary public and witnesses, or closed and sealed in their presence, and the testator must declare that it contains his or her signed will. The envelope or closed document must be subscribed by the testator, witnesses, and notary public.

— nonintervention will \ ˌnän-​ˌin-​tər-​ˈven-​chən-​ \

: a will that provides for an executor to administer the estate without judicial involvement

— nuncupative will

: a will allowed in some states that is dictated orally before witnesses and set down in writing within a statutorily specified time period (as 30 days) and that is allowed only for one in imminent peril of death from a terminal illness or from military or maritime service

— pour-over will

: a will that provides for a transfer of assets (as the residue of the estate) to a trust (as an inter vivos trust) upon the death of the testator

— reciprocal will

: mutual will in this entry

will

2 of 2 transitive verb

1

: to order or direct by will

willed that his money be given to charity

2

: to dispose of by will

willed the house to their children