readiness

noun read·i·ness \ ˈre-dē-nəs \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of readiness

: 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

See readiness defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of readiness from the Web

Ahead of the contest, there were concerns surrounding Atleti's readiness following their midweek Europa League defeat in Portugal, but Simeone was proud with how his players applied themselves throughout.

— SI.com, "Diego Simeone Lauds Fernando Torres as Veteran Begins Long Goodbye With 100th Atleti League Goal," 16 Apr. 2018
Reversing Obama Trump has said that transgender forces impede military readiness and impose a financial burden on taxpayers.

— Bloomberg.com, "Trump's Military Trans Ban Same as Before, Judge Says," 14 Apr. 2018
The previous system included an additional measure on post-secondary readiness.

— shelby webb, Houston Chronicle, "TEA details how it will calculate A-F letter grades," 10 Apr. 2018
Thornberry also recently cautioned against diverting resources from the military and has long expressed concerns about the lasting impact that years of budget cuts will have on readiness.

— zachary cohen, CNN, "With 16 service members killed in air crashes, top lawmaker says 'readiness of the military is at a crisis point'," 7 Apr. 2018
In a 2015 report, the Austin American-Statesman showed how Combs worked to remove endangered protections for a native state songbird, the golden-cheeked warbler, claiming that its listing hurt military readiness.

— darryl fears, chicagotribune.com, "A fierce opponent of the Endangered Species Act is picked to oversee Interior's wildlife policy," 4 Apr. 2018
What's more, in 2010 Kentucky was the first state to implement college and career readiness standards based on national Common Core assessments.

— byron mccauley, Cincinnati.com, "Kentucky budget: I know why educators react the way they do," 3 Apr. 2018
As Jackson awaits Senate confirmation, the acting VA secretary will be Robert Wilkie, who serves as undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, who is focused on such areas as health, welfare, and quality of life.

— washington post, BostonGlobe.com, "Trump ousts Veterans Affairs chief David Shulkin in administration’s latest shake-up," 29 Mar. 2018
Beginning in 2015, education officials began using college and career readiness indicators tied to benchmarks that signify graduates are ready for that next step.

— christopher harress, AL.com, "Woman killed after hit and run on I-65," 26 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'readiness.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.