at the ready

phrase

: ready for immediate use

kept guns at the ready

Examples of at the ready in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Stepping into the venue felt more like entering a swanky cocktail lounge, with bar snacks and cocktails at the ready. — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026

On this, the last Sunday afternoon before football returns to Oxford, the 2026 season flags stand at the ready as Elizabeth Heiskell ducks into The Library. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026

Rooms come with bar carts, TVs, and Roku systems to stream shows (have your passwords at the ready). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026

The most prominent bit of imagery in Fly Now (2022) is the front of an airplane with its door open and boarding stairs at the ready; the name koether is inscribed on the fuselage next to the door. — Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for at the ready

• already
• unsteady
• heady
• reddi
• steady
• teddy
• thready