with the best will in the world

idiom

British
: with the most sincere desire and effort to do something good or worthwhile
used especially to say that it is not possible to do something even if one wants to do it very much
Even with the best will in the world, the work cannot be done that quickly.

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If that’s the unifying element, my question is, with the best will in the world, why? Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2024 And with the best will in the world, if seeing it in a standard theatre doesn’t do Dune justice, how much more so for the people who are watching it at home. Benny Har-Even, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2021

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Cite this Entry

“With the best will in the world.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/with%20the%20best%20will%20in%20the%20world. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

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