1
2
as in to want
to see fit
do as you will—I wash my hands of the whole affair
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in restraint
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions
she kept her face still by sheer force of will
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in choice
the act or power of making one's own choices or decisions
you cannot force me to do anything against my own will
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of will
Andy Jones, New York Times, 6 July 2025
The Dane hauled his way up the mountain, mouth contorted, back and elbows askew, willing his bike to chase.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 July 2025
Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
With limited access to legal services, many landowners didn’t leave formal wills.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for will
Verb
Another trait often ascribed to footballers is courage — the kind that enables them to put their head into a frenzy of flying boots, or take a decisive penalty when thousands are willing them to fail.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 6 July 2025
The Dane hauled his way up the mountain, mouth contorted, back and elbows askew, willing his bike to chase.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 July 2025
Noun
Liverpool’s defensive concerns and Bournemouth’s ones to watch Liverpool’s attack clicked right away in their Friday night game against Bournemouth, with their front line creating chances at will.
—Abdul Rehman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
With limited access to legal services, many landowners didn’t leave formal wills.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for will
Recent Examples of Synonyms for will
Verb
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Sunglasses and water bottles were strung out around campus during the chaos, leaving a crowded, makeshift lost and found table.—
Shane Brennan,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Detroit doesn’t need recycled ideas or the same politics that have left too many neighborhoods behind.—
Dana Afana,
Freep.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Stores want to build community as well as sell books Can two romance bookstores that close together live happily ever after?—
Jim Higgins,
jsonline.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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Before cutting rates, Powell has said, officials want to ensure tariffs amount to a one-time bump to inflation and don’t raise Americans’ inflation expectations in ways that ripple through the economy.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
23 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Moderates favor easing tensions with Western and regional powers, while hard-liners insist any agreement include concrete guarantees of mutual restraint.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Those loud, colorful prints align with hip-hop’s aversion to restraint, to sameness even.—
Essence,
Essence,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
These customers learn the hard way in viral Tiktok Adults ordering from the kid's menu more The kids menu is also becoming a go-to choice for adult diners, according to the survey.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
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If you’re drawn to timeless elegance, classic cuts like round or emerald are great choices.—
Ariel Okin,
Vogue,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Customers are inherently sticky, but Tenev knows that the old giants of the financial world, including Fidelity, Schwab and Merrill Lynch, are vulnerable as trillions in Boomer assets are bequeathed to their digital-native offspring.—
Nina Bambysheva,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
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Epstein also bequeathed her $10 million from his estate, though Maxwell has not received those funds because the estate is in probate.—
James Hill,
ABC News,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
And for people who choose to lease rather than buy, $7,500 can be put toward the lease of any EV, without restrictions on price, manufacturing location or buyer income — a loophole that has pleased many automakers and frustrated many EV tax credit critics.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
22 Aug. 2025
-
His effort to schmaltz Putin with a display of royal pageantry obviously pleased this murderous dictator to no end.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Russia's icebreaker fleet far outstrips that of any other military, an example of the country's determination to dominate the region.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 2025
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Gene has gone on to reference this moment from her first date as a symbol of Jerry’s determination.—
Avalon Hester,
People.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Various characters in my book ponder the role of chance, fate, and free will in their lives.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
3 Aug. 2025
-
To him, Broca was drawing a conclusion about smelling ability rather than free will, suggesting that humans are bad smellers while dogs are good smellers.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
3 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Will.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/will. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.
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