ready

1 of 2

adjective

readier; readiest
1
a
: prepared mentally or physically for some experience or action
b
: prepared for immediate use
dinner is ready
2
a
: willingly disposed : inclined
ready to agree to his proposal
b
: likely to do something indicated
a house that looks ready to collapse
3
: displayed readily and spontaneously
a ready wit
4
: immediately available
had ready cash

ready

2 of 2

verb

readied; readying

transitive verb

: to make ready
Phrases
at the ready
: ready for immediate use
kept guns at the ready
Choose the Right Synonym for ready

quick, prompt, ready, apt mean able to respond without delay or hesitation or indicative of such ability.

quick stresses instancy of response and is likely to connote native rather than acquired power.

quick reflexes
a keen quick mind

prompt is more likely to connote training and discipline that fits one for instant response.

prompt emergency medical care

ready suggests facility or fluency in response.

backed by a pair of ready assistants

apt stresses the possession of qualities (such as intelligence, a particular talent, or a strong bent) that makes quick effective response possible.

an apt student
her answer was apt and to the point

Examples of ready in a Sentence

Adjective I'll be ready in 10 minutes. “Can we leave now?” “I'm ready when you are.” Your prescription will be ready in about 20 minutes. The car won't be ready until tomorrow. We got everything ready for the party before the guests arrived. Verb They readied the room for guests. She readied herself to speak. We have to ready ourselves for a tough fight ahead.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Others were near their breaking points, ready to accept various kinds of treatment. Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024 The proud graduates ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime posed in front of the Prince in two rows, wearing tentative smiles and looking like boys not used to being photographed. Susan Tate Ankeny, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024 Get the Cool Ranch Doritos ready—Knuckles is punching his way onto the small screen after leaving a huge mark in theaters. Kristina Behr, Parents, 23 Apr. 2024 The two Twins relievers have been on the injured list all season, but both are almost ready to return, Topa, who was dealing with patellar tendinitis in his left knee, threw around 20 pitches on Tuesday at Target Field. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2024 Following a stronger start to 2024, the Reds feel ready for the challenges ahead of them. 🎸 Peter Frampton, 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, used to call Cincinnati home. The Enquirer, 23 Apr. 2024 This rechargeable drone is ready to use out of the box, but parents will need to have 3 AAA batteries ready to operate the remote control. Maya Polton, Parents, 12 Apr. 2024 With warm weather around the corner, be sure your closet, home, and beauty cabinet are ready. Nicol Natale, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024 Garland, too, is more than ready to supply the images. The New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2024
Verb
Members of Haiti’s new transition government, who are readying to officially assume office on Thursday, were hoping to take the oath of office on the grounds of the presidential palace, the symbol of power even if the once ornate building hasn’t been rebuilt after collapsing in the 2010 earthquake. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2024 Meanwhile, Morgan was readying to receive his new liver from living donor Philip Rothfield, 34, a nurse from New Mexico, who had previously donated one of his kidneys in 2017. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024 The lead time meant that Israel and its regional partners could ready Israel’s defenses, and the operation amounted to little more than a terrifying fireworks display. Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024 Those same providers are now readying for a second wave. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2024 Rather than consider the political and personal effects of the Revolution, the series commits to being a thinky but easily digestible chronicle of the world readying itself for war. Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 21 Mar. 2024 In other American Football news, lead singer Mike Kinsella is readying a new album from his solo project Owen. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2024 On June 19, all six men began the tedious work of shifting the explosives, detonators and other supplies into final position and readying them for use. Myke Cole and Michael Livingston, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Feb. 2024 Microsoft appears to be readying a white version of its Xbox Series X console without a disc drive. Tom Warren, The Verge, 27 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ready.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English redy; akin to Old English gerǣde ready, Goth garaiths arranged

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ready was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near ready

Cite this Entry

“Ready.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ready. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

ready

1 of 2 adjective
readier; readiest
1
: prepared for use or action
dinner is ready
2
: likely to do something
ready to cry
3
: willing sense 1
ready to give aid
4
: showing ease and promptness
a ready answer
5
: available right away : handy
ready money
readily
ˈred-ᵊl-ē
adverb
readiness
ˈred-ē-nəs
noun

ready

2 of 2 verb
readied; readying
: to make ready : prepare

More from Merriam-Webster on ready

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