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willing

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verb

present participle of will

Synonym Chooser

How is the word willing different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of willing are deliberate, intentional, and voluntary. While all these words mean "done or brought about of one's own will," willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another.

willing obedience

When is deliberate a more appropriate choice than willing?

The words deliberate and willing are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences.

deliberate acts of sabotage

When is it sensible to use intentional instead of willing?

The words intentional and willing can be used in similar contexts, but intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved.

the intentional concealment of vital information

When could voluntary be used to replace willing?

While in some cases nearly identical to willing, voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion.

a voluntary confession

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of willing
Adjective
Those profiting from art have rarely been willing to compromise cash for values. James Folta september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025 Yes, Carr’s threat likely violates the First Amendment, legal scholars say, but that only matters if Disney is willing to go to court. Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025 How willing are people to make trade-offs for that issue, right? David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025 Most of the winegrowers are over 60, and my generation—and the ones that follow—are less willing to work in the vineyards. John Mariani, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for willing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willing
Adjective
  • Loge, which stands for Live Outside, Go Explore, is for the adventure traveler ready to fly through fresh powder, hit the trails, or soak up some rays while tubing on the Deschutes River.
    Lauren Jones, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2025
  • The property features five distinct bars, a four-star restaurant with a menu built around bourbon pairings, a private golf simulator called Bourbon & Bunkers, a pool, and a wellness program designed to keep guests refreshed and ready for their next bourbon tasting.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In fact, a quick review of the central bank’s dot plot underscores just how divided the Fed Governors are on the question of whether to cut interest rates (and by how much) over the next 12 months.
    Paul Weinstein Jr, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Changing your own wipers is quick and easy.
    Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Within the past couple of years, the group has become a part of Arrowhead Kingdom, an all-volunteer national network of Chiefs fan groups.
    Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2023
  • That’s noteworthy for a show based at a high-school auditorium in Litchfield and run by a staff that is almost entirely volunteer, including the show’s star and its producer.
    Susan Dunne, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2022
Verb
  • Federal pandemic funding is expiring, leaving many districts with budget cuts approaching 8%.
    Jaime Catmull, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The power adapter plugs into either USB-C port, leaving one free for peripherals.
    Charles Jefferies, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Not wanting to show favoritism, Rebordinos is relucant to discuss this year’s competition lineup.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Imagine wanting to see a play—ostensibly, in part, for the liveness of a play—but mistrusting your judgment enough to read a review first, thereby lessening your opportunity for surprise.
    Lauren Rothery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As far as exemplars go, those inclined to offer wardrobe support could find a better follow and a better way.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Investors may be more inclined to invest in the later stages, having seen examples of European companies scaling - as Klink puts it - at an insanely high speed.
    Trevor Clawson, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • After awarding the voluntary furlough, management will proceed with involuntary furloughs in inverse order of system seniority up to the 1,800 number, in accordance with flight attendant contracts, the union said.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
  • The tips must be voluntary, not mandatory.
    Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Rewriting society’s decision-making Unlike biased pundits who hem, haw and hedge their bets, Web3 prediction markets cut through noise, bequeathing a signal that feeds into pricing mechanisms themselves.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Willing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willing. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.

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