goodwill

good·will

noun \ˌgu̇d-ˈwil\

Definition of GOODWILL

1

a : a kindly feeling of approval and support : benevolent interest or concern

b (1) : the favor or advantage that a business has acquired especially through its brands and its good reputation (2) : the value of projected earnings increases of a business especially as part of its purchase price (3) : the excess of the purchase price of a company over its book value which represents the value of goodwill as an intangible asset for accounting purposes

2

a : cheerful consent

b : willing effort

— good·willed \-ˈwild\ adjective

Examples of GOODWILL

1. She has goodwill toward all her coworkers.
2. They allowed him to keep the extra money as a gesture of goodwill.

First Known Use of GOODWILL

before 12th century

Related to GOODWILL

Synonyms

amity, benevolence, brotherhood, charity, cordiality, cordialness, fellowship, friendliness, friendship, gemütlichkeit, good-fellowship, kindliness, neighborliness

Antonyms

ill will, malevolence, venom

Related Words

bonhomie, camaraderie, collegiality, community, companionship, company, comradeship; civility, comity, concord, harmony, rapport, rapprochement; charity, generosity; affinity, communion, empathy, kindness, sympathy, tolerance; altruism, philanthropy, selflessness, unselfishness

Near Antonyms

disfavor, intolerance; animosity, antagonism, antipathy, enmity, hate, hatred, hostility, incivility, malice, rancor; belligerency, quarrelsomeness, querulousness

Rhymes with GOODWILL

anthill, at will, backfill, ball mill, bluegill, Brazil, breast drill, cranesbill, crossbill, de Mille, dentil, de-skill, distill, doorsill, downhill, duckbill, dullsville, dunghill, fire drill, foothill, freewill, free will, gin mill, gristmill, handbill, hawksbill, hornbill, Huntsville, ill will, instill, Knoxville, lambkill, landfill, limekiln, manille, McGill, Melville, mixed grill, molehill, mudsill, Nashville, no-till, pep pill, per mill, playbill, pot still, pug mill, quadrille, red squill, refill, roadkill, sawmill, Schuylkill, self-will, Seville, sheathbill, shoebill, show bill, sidehill, sigil, spadille, spoonbill, stabile, standstill, stock-still, storksbill, T-bill, treadmill, true bill, twin bill, twist drill, until, uphill, vaudeville, waxbill, waybill, windchill, windmill, Zangwill