willing

1 of 2

adjective

will·​ing ˈwi-liŋ 

1

: inclined or favorably disposed in mind : ready

willing and eager to help

2

: prompt to act or respond

lending a willing hand

3

: done, borne, or accepted by choice or without reluctance

a willing sacrifice

4

: of or relating to the will or power of choosing : volitional

willingly

ˈwi-liŋ-lē 

adverb

willingness noun

willing

2 of 2

present participle of will entry 3

Synonyms of willing

Adjective

• ready
• inclined
• glad

Choose the Right Synonym for willing

voluntary, intentional, deliberate, willing mean done or brought about of one's own will.

voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion.

a voluntary confession

intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved.

the intentional concealment of vital information

deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences.

deliberate acts of sabotage

willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another.

willing obedience

Examples of willing in a Sentence

Adjective

He was a willing participant in the crime.

She's lending a willing hand.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

One of Toronto’s biggest advantages over the last half-decade is being one of a small handful of teams willing to give out massive free-agent contracts. — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Consumers across many Asian markets are willing to experiment with new flavors and restaurant concepts, creating opportunities for brands to generate awareness and trial quickly, Tan said. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026

Of course, Graham’s job is to muddy the waters — to play up the socioeconomic biases of his screen persona so that viewers are willing to at least entertain the idea that Miguel has valid reason to be so afraid of everything. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026

Still, there clearly are some who are more willing than others to risk the public’s safety for ideological reasons. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing willing

• God willing
• show willing
• the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Rhymes for willing

• billing
• chilling
• drilling
• filling
• grilling
• killing
• milling
• pilling
• rilling
• schilling
• shilling
• skilling

Kids Definition

willing

adjective

will·​ing ˈwil-iŋ 

1

: feeling no objection : ready

willing to go

2

: prompt to act or respond

willing workers

3

: done, made, or given by choice

a willing sacrifice

willingly adverb

willingness noun