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
  • He is helped by his god-daughter Saga (Zazie Beetz), who is a top FBI agent willing to go undercover in a psychiatric hospital to get close to Walter.
    — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Historically, Miami-Dade voters haven’t been willing to endorse paying commissioners more.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of willing
Adverb
  • Northeast of Thule's Malmö headquarters in the greater Stockholm metro, Dometic has largely focused in on inflatable RTT design, going so far as to integrate an air tent into a rather impressive Jeep Wrangler pop-top concept.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Kawajiri crashes the two together both with a rather sweet, tentative courtship and plenty of comedy around the anxiety which would accompany any new romance, let alone one between two shut-ins with no game.
    — Kambole Campbell, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of rather
Adjective
  • The staff is knowledgeable about the area and was ready to give recommendations on where to grab breakfast nearby or to point me towards the umbrellas during a snow storm.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026
  • With diesel and gas prices still spiking through Election Day, and Trump’s approval rating sagging, voters were ready to punish Republicans.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of ready
Adverb
  • Or the conveners of this exhibition, who too willingly betray the secrets of artworks, sacrificing complexity to sentimentality?
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Prosecutors said Salman pledged loyalty to ISIS and willingly participated in its activities.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of willingly
Adjective
  • But Glennon’s glad-handing soon gives way to a much blunter critique when my Ear-Candling Tech’s apprentice steps in to say that my team has absolutely had it with me and my excuses.
    — Julie Klausner, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Many rabid fans from other cities would be glad to trade places with them anytime.
    — Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of glad
Adjective
  • After their massive Election Day losses, some GOP lawmakers are inclined to fully overhaul their leadership.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Legislators do not seem inclined to support that $10 billion tranche of funding for the Park Service in the capital region.
    — Joe Heim, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

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 11 Nov. 2026.

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