alacrity
noun
alac·ri·ty
ə-ˈla-krə-tē 
: promptness in response : cheerful readiness
accepted the invitation with alacrity
Did you know?
Alacrity Predates Shakespeare
“I have not that alacrity of spirit / Nor cheer of mind that I was wont to have,” says William Shakespeare’s King Richard III in the play that bears his name. Alas and alack, Richard! Alacrity comes from the Latin word alacer, meaning “lively” or “eager,” and suggests physical quickness coupled with eagerness or enthusiasm. Thus, a spirit that lacks alacrity—like Richard III’s—is in the doldrums, in need of a little (to use a much less formal word than alacrity) get-up-and-go.
Examples of alacrity in a Sentence
Surely one of the most striking features of human dynamics is the alacrity with which those who have been oppressed will oppress whomever they can once the opportunity presents itself.
—
Randall Kennedy, Atlantic, May 1997
Every Disney worker I spoke to, from ticket sellers to gardeners sprucing up already-immaculate flower beds, knew the answer to my questions and responded with smiling alacrity.
—Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 June 1990
… when he entered the drawing room before dinner, the buzz of discussion was high between Tom, Maria, and Mr. Yates; and Mr. Rushworth stepped forward with great alacrity to tell him the agreeable news.
—Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814
She accepted the invitation with an alacrity that surprised me.
having just acquired his driver's license that morning, the teen agreed with alacrity to drive his cousin to the airport
Randall Kennedy, Atlantic, May 1997
Every Disney worker I spoke to, from ticket sellers to gardeners sprucing up already-immaculate flower beds, knew the answer to my questions and responded with smiling alacrity.
—Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 June 1990
… when he entered the drawing room before dinner, the buzz of discussion was high between Tom, Maria, and Mr. Yates; and Mr. Rushworth stepped forward with great alacrity to tell him the agreeable news.
—Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814
She accepted the invitation with an alacrity that surprised me.
having just acquired his driver's license that morning, the teen agreed with alacrity to drive his cousin to the airport
Recent Examples on the Web
On the contrary, an entrepreneurial mindset that relies on alacrity, adaptability, curiosity and creativity, along with many other tangible qualities, can position leadership as a collaborative approach.
—Venkat Rao, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
By the end of the film, the world — from government powers to common citizens — comes together with unquestioning alacrity to help build teleportation devices in an effort to save the Earth by relocating it.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
The participants who fare best seem to be familiar with the conventions of interscholastic debate, spouting off statistics and logic puzzles with the alacrity of an extemporaneous-speaking champion.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
The secret to his mercantile alacrity was Fort Bragg.
—Seth Harp, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2025
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Venkat Rao, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
By the end of the film, the world — from government powers to common citizens — comes together with unquestioning alacrity to help build teleportation devices in an effort to save the Earth by relocating it.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
The participants who fare best seem to be familiar with the conventions of interscholastic debate, spouting off statistics and logic puzzles with the alacrity of an extemporaneous-speaking champion.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
The secret to his mercantile alacrity was Fort Bragg.
—Seth Harp, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for alacrity
Cite this Entry
“Alacrity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alacrity. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
alacrity
noun
alac·ri·ty
ə-ˈlak-rət-ē
: a cheerful readiness to do something
accepted with alacrity
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