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fain 1 of 2

adjective

ˈfān How to pronounce fain (audio)
Definition of fainnext
as in willing
having a desire or inclination (as for a specified course of action) during the Renaissance most men of science and the arts were fain to express their noblest thoughts in Latin, the lingua franca of the learned

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fain

2 of 2

adverb

as in rather
by choice or preference "I would fain not marry that suitor, my lord," the princess pleaded

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fain
  1. willing
  2. rather
  3. ready
  4. willingly
  5. glad
  6. inclined
Adjective
  • When Russians discovered karaoke, thousands of venues sprang up, from cheap sushi joints to lavish establishments where an orchestra and backup singers accompanied anyone willing to step onto the stage and, for a few minutes, feel like a star.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Surround yourself with people willing to challenge your conclusions.
    — Nick Leighton, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of willing
Adverb
  • But their primitive way of living reveals itself to rather more devastating effect when their third child is born, and Inger commits an act of unthinkable desperation.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Dmitriy Mazurov plays successful company director Gleb, whose seemingly perfect life starts to unravel, not due to the conflict however, but rather his suspicions that his wife (Iris Lebedeva) is having an affair.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of rather
Adjective
  • The teams that will be ready for whatever AI does next aren’t the ones who arrived knowing the most.
    — Brittany Murrey, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • For an industry that seemed ready for widespread adoption, the legislative pushback could have serious implications for the future of the technology.
    — Alex Vuocolo, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of ready
Adverb
  • But the very act of putting on a wearable—of willingly adorning oneself with a tiny computerized narc—is an act of surrender.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • If Gluck has willingly conceded to the anti-erotic proclivities of his intended audience, Araki has, naturally, set out to defy them.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of willingly
Adjective
  • But McDowell is glad the Supreme Court blocked the use of the new districts for November.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Now that Earle Meets World is, well, out in the world, Alix, Ashtin, and the rest of the family are particularly glad that their breast cancer journey is in the spotlight—and plan on continuing to spread awareness.
    — Caitlin Carlson, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of glad
Adjective
  • Republican strategist Whit Ayres said the convention can help galvanize low-propensity Trump voters who are less inclined to vote in the midterms than a presidential election.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The price of gas has also hit the RV industry, making consumers less inclined to purchase RVs and travel.
    — Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of inclined
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.

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failures
fain
faint
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Cite this Entry

“Fain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fain. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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