willing

adjective

will·ing | \ ˈwi-liŋ

Definition of willing

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

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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

He was a willing participant in the crime. She's lending a willing hand.

Recent Examples on the Web

Others are willing to expand their repertoire to install tile, replace countertops, or even build a deck. — Brett Martin, House Beautiful, "Should You DIY Or Call A Pro?," 26 Dec. 2018 Like many Silicon Valley startup founders, Udashkin was young, male, and white and had access to a network that was willing and able to back Raden. — Chavie Lieber, Vox, "When the “best” busts: the spectacular rise and fall of smart luggage startup Raden," 12 Dec. 2018 The reality, though, is that Microsoft has only a handful of services that consumers will be willing to pay for, and many of those involve the Xbox. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "A Microsoft 365 subscription for consumers wouldn't work without the Xbox," 12 Dec. 2018 Art is an offering, an eternal source for anyone willing to explore its depths. — Alejandro Jodorowsky, ELLE Decor, "A Conversation Between Hotelier Alan Faena and Filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky," 14 Nov. 2018 Yet for those who are willing and able to not only seek help but find a mental health professional that looks like them, the benefits can be undeniably affirming. — Vanessa Willhoughby, Allure, "The Reality of Navigating the Mental Health System as a Black Woman," 13 Oct. 2018 Life would be better in Central Florida if more Bonillas were willing to step forward and if Jacobs nudged her colleagues in the right direction more often. — Lauren Ritchie, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Orange County spares 'very special place' Tangerine from bad growth," 13 July 2018 And given that the Republican party has given up even trying to appeal to women, a lot more people might be willing to sit this election out. — Jennifer Wright, Harper's BAZAAR, "What Will Actually Happen to Trump?," 19 Dec. 2018 The nature of warfare—or at least the wars the U.S. Army is willing to prepare for—is shifting away from the guerrilla wars of the 9/11 era to big power competition and preparation for the Army to fight full-scale land battles. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The U.S. Army Will Pit Two Light Tank Designs Against One Another," 18 Dec. 2018

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