ready

adjective

\ˈre-dē

readier; readiest

Definition of ready

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : prepared mentally or physically for some experience or action

b : prepared for immediate use dinner is ready

2a : willingly disposed : inclined ready to agree to his proposal

b : likely to do something indicated a house that looks ready to collapse

3 : displayed readily and spontaneously a ready wit

4 : immediately available had ready cash

at the ready

: ready for immediate use kept guns at the ready

ready

verb

readied; readying

Definition of ready (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to make ready

Other Words from ready Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about ready

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Choose the Right Synonym for ready

Adjective

quick, prompt, ready, apt mean able to respond without delay or hesitation or indicative of such ability. quick stresses instancy of response and is likely to connote native rather than acquired power. quick reflexes a keen quick mind prompt is more likely to connote training and discipline that fits one for instant response. prompt emergency medical care ready suggests facility or fluency in response. backed by a pair of ready assistants apt stresses the possession of qualities (such as intelligence, a particular talent, or a strong bent) that makes quick effective response possible. an apt student her answer was apt and to the point

Examples of ready in a Sentence

Adjective

I'll be ready in 10 minutes. “Can we leave now?” “I'm ready when you are.” Your prescription will be ready in about 20 minutes. The car won't be ready until tomorrow. We got everything ready for the party before the guests arrived.

Verb

They readied the room for guests. She readied herself to speak. We have to ready ourselves for a tough fight ahead.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

His projections showed the team was still several years from being championship-ready. — Matthew Wilson, USA TODAY, "'Astroball': How the Houston Astros climbed from baseball's basement to champions," 13 July 2018 Designers go back to denim, incorporating it into their collections season after season (and not just in ready-to-wear: Sonia Rykiel recently showed jeans as part of its first-ever couture show). — Amy Hou, Glamour, "5 Unexpected Denim Trends to Try ASAP," 13 July 2018 Spearheaded by Jefferson Township trustee Lonnie Todd, volunteers pitched in to get the gym game-ready. — Kyle Neddenriep, Indianapolis Star, "An Indiana gym gem: Restoration of Pleasantville gym a pleasant surprise," 12 July 2018 The $6,990 ready-to-wear dress has been so admired that it is completely sold out on J. Mendel’s website – though the price was dropped to $2,996, USA Today reported. — Fox News, "Melania Trump praised for J. Mendel gown: 'She looks like a princess'," 12 July 2018 Boosting military budgets is aimed at making NATO a more capable and battle-ready force to help prevent aggressive acts by Russia and other rivals. — Robert Wall, WSJ, "Trump Unsettles NATO Allies With Demands as He Backs Alliance," 12 July 2018 That said, Tyrion Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen practically speak in caption-ready quips. — refinery29.com, "Game Of Thrones One-Liners That Make Killer Instagram Captions," 12 July 2018 Guests will find a selfie-ready seating area with two vibrant red armchairs in front of a concrete geometric wall, painted bright green and festooned with white flowers and vines. — Kellie Hwang, azcentral, "Alice in Wonderland-themed bar Hatter and Hare now open in Phoenix," 12 July 2018 Hopefully, this partnership isn’t a premature announcement, but a sign that Magic Leap has something substantive — and consumer-ready — on the way. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, "AT&T will support Magic Leap’s augmented reality glasses, once they actually exist," 11 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Marisela recently finished Emory Pipeline Collaborative, a three-year summertime program that readies students for collegiate courses in medicine. — Mark Davis, ajc, "Personal Journeys: A class by herself," 8 June 2018 The noise of the engine can be heard for miles, affording pedestrians enough time to ready their smartphones to record. — Michael Whiteley, chicagotribune.com, "Ferrari's prancing horse gets a kick with turbocharged 488 GTB," 16 June 2017 From makeup-free selfies to readying routines infused with a bit of fun, this week's best beauty Instagrams were all about chilling out behind the scenes. — Calin Van Paris, Vogue, "The 10 Best Beauty Instagrams of the Week: Kylie Jenner, Zayn Malik, and More," 17 June 2018 Disney is reportedly readying cash to sweeten its offer, which Fox’s board had approved in December. — The Economist, "Comcast and Disney battle over Rupert Murdoch’s empire," 31 May 2018 On the evening of the last day of Passover, as men departed for synagogue to participate in the prayer service that marked the end of the holiday, women began to ready the table for Mimouna. — Florence Steinberger, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Mimouna sweets, a Moroccan tradition, herald the end of Passover," 3 Apr. 2018 Meanwhile, the institute and Calibr are readying other treatments for clinical testing, both with other partners, and on its own. — Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Scripps Research, AbbVie join in large cancer therapy alliance," 25 June 2018 Federal authorities are readying a special reunification center at a remote detention center in Port Isabel, about 55 miles (88 kilometers) east of McAllen. — Will Weissert And Elliot Spagat, chicagotribune.com, "In Texas at a hub for border crossings, families spread throughout U.S.," 24 June 2018 Some Mexican supporters shouted the slur when German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was readying for a goal kick in the Group F match on Sunday. — Fox News, "FIFA opens disciplinary case against Mexico over fans' alleged anti-gay chant at World Cup match," 18 June 2018

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