FAIN Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

fain 1 of 2

adjective

ˈfān

Definition of fain

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

Adjective

God willing, that place will be juvenile court, where the lives of these young people can be respected and honored.

— Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
That’s because content companies are willing to shell out major bucks to air live, anything-can-happen matches, which tend to draw bigger audiences than scripted fare.

— Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of willing

Adverb

There were no pre-production Zoom meetings, but rather the juggle of scheduling international calls and waiting for another part of the world to wake up in order to receive vital feedback.

— Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Some experts say the call for a temporary halt to more approvals should not be taken as a rejection of potential foreign investment in the country, but rather as a mechanism to establish clear rules, especially around transparency.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of rather

Adjective

Throughout the series, secrets are revealed, guns are fired, bodies are recovered and ninjas are ready to attack.

— Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Andoni Iraola says new signing Bradley Barcola is ready to be part of the Liverpool squad for Friday’s Premier League clash at Ipswich Town.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 3 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

The Carolina Panthers better be glad that Wednesday’s joint practice against the Houston Texans didn’t count in the NFL standings.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026
Hot sleepers will be glad to know that the smooth sateen weave lyocell shell is more absorbent than regular cotton.

— Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of glad

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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Style

“Fain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fain. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of fain

adjective

adverb

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