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
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
-
Infrastructure investors are increasingly willing to put near-term profits as a secondary consideration to redundancy and security, Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli told me.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026 -
French President Emmanuel Macron and British prime Minister Keir Starmer will co-chair a conference Friday for nations willing to deploy warships to escort oil tankers and container ships through the Strait of Hormuz.—
Munir Ahmed,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
This is the season to embrace perfumes that don’t overwhelm but rather float on the skin, enhancing your natural allure with every warm breeze.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
16 Apr. 2026
-
In the piece, the Vicar of Christ is felled not by his oppressors but rather by a random cosmic event.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Leslie Hasselback Adams, USA high diving performance director, said Fort Lauderdale has all the elements—wind and sun—to get competitors ready for the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in two years.—
Joan Murray,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
When ready to serve, turn the jar upside down and let sit for 2 minutes so the dressing evenly coats the salad.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
After every resident is moved — willingly or forcibly — police and city staff will patrol the site to prevent people from returning.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The car was in the lot, and office manager Jessica Smith said Gregg signed the paperwork willingly.—
Liz Crawford,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Jaia Peabody is glad to be a part of the mission.—
Courtney Cole,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Zdenka Majercak, Emma Everitt, Samantha Walsh and Isabella Lisenko led the defense in front of Yerkes, who Oak Forest coach Mike DaLuga is sure glad to have in the net.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Garrison wasn’t inclined to take this offer.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Finding harmony in dual pursuits Miller, who originally got to know Mattei by playing for his Mile Hi Magic club, grew up in a musically inclined household.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Fain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fain. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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