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

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

Younger and middle-aged elites are also less inclined to put up with the careers and sacrifices the state has historically presented as honorable.

— Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026
There’s a performance aspect to reality television, to people who are politically inclined.

— Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 23 Oct. 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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Style

“Fain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fain. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of fain

adjective

adverb

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