readiness

noun

read·​i·​ness ˈre-dē-nəs 

: the quality or state of being ready: such as

a

: a state of preparation

As Apollo approached readiness, a new system for validating flight hardware came into use.

—William Hines

… conditions that prevented all regiments being brought to battle readiness simultaneously …

—Graham A. Cosmas

Pym presented himself at the entrance to the school drive in readiness for Mr. Cudlove's arrival.

—John le Carré

b

: prompt willingness

Kostunica has already expressed his readiness to talk with independence-minded leaders in Montenegro …

—Joshua Hammer et al.

Civil War reportage owed its successes also to the readiness of the military to accept photography as a new visual tool …

—Naomi Rosenblum

c

: ease, facility

The introduction was followed up on his side by a happy readiness of conversation …

—Jane Austen

Examples of readiness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Israel, for its part, is so far showing no readiness to pull out of Lebanon. — Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 1 July 2026

For instance, if a player has a bad night’s sleep before a match and their readiness score is down, that could get into their head and erode confidence. — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 5 July 2026

Production readiness should include evidence that the agent improves outcomes with clear safety guardrails. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

For decades, military installations were viewed primarily through the lens of readiness and force projection. — Marc Andersen, Fortune, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for readiness

• steadiness
• unsteadiness