1
2
as in to want
to see fit
do as you will—I wash my hands of the whole affair
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in restraint
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions
she kept her face still by sheer force of will
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in choice
the act or power of making one's own choices or decisions
you cannot force me to do anything against my own will
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of will
Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
Jalen Brunson, the captain, who willed this organization to this point time and time again with clutch performances, put up a cool 23 points.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025
Previous attempts to improve the efficiency of cross-border payments for intra-Africa trade have stumbled due to the absence of political will, said Kenneth Ugwuanyi, head of transaction banking at the United Bank for Africa Group which operates in 20 African countries.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for will
Verb
Stalin willed into being socialist realism, a hagiographic style that crept into art forms like music and painting.
—Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
Jalen Brunson, the captain, who willed this organization to this point time and time again with clutch performances, put up a cool 23 points.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Noun
Jennifer Egan’s 2022 novel, The Candy House, features a technology called Own Your Unconscious, which extracts and packages characters’ memories to be revisited, or not, at will.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025
Previous attempts to improve the efficiency of cross-border payments for intra-Africa trade have stumbled due to the absence of political will, said Kenneth Ugwuanyi, head of transaction banking at the United Bank for Africa Group which operates in 20 African countries.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for will
Recent Examples of Synonyms for will
Verb
-
Schmidt left Thursday’s game after three innings and 55 pitches.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
5 July 2025
-
Commission leader Thomas Bullitt later left Kentucky and did not return.—
Leo Bertucci,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2025
Verb
-
From overcrowded trails to traffic congestion, the Pacific islands have been actively seeking visitors who want to create a deeper connection with Hawaii.—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
5 July 2025
-
Some Democrats on the far left of the political spectrum want the governor to go away.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
5 July 2025
Noun
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Shams Charania’s debut as part of ESPN’s NBA Draft coverage last week doubled as a herculean exercise in restraint.—
Peter A. Berry,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2025
-
Most were secular, or observed religion privately and with restraint.—
Kian Tajbakhsh,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
Noun
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Fox’s lips were painted in a gray-nude glossy shade, a neutral choice to complement her pale, even-toned base.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
1 July 2025
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Restaurants and Bars Dining on Westerdam is all about choice.—
Susan B. Barnes,
Travel + Leisure,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
Before his death, Rodin bequeathed all his works and possessions to France.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
The former estate was bequeathed to the Swiss state in 1973, according to the Geneva government.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 May 2025
Verb
-
Then the governor, seemingly trying to please the president, vetoed laws that assist Floridians in survival mode.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 July 2025
-
Two tiebreaking runs scored, a fact that pleased Altuve far more than another milestone in a career full of them.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
4 July 2025
Noun
-
The network of community leaders and officials all questioned the administration’s determination that Haiti is now safe enough for people to return.—
Churchill Ndonwie,
Miami Herald,
1 July 2025
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The increasingly obvious awfulness of Dave’s book gives Smollett some great reaction work amid all Michelle’s pained determination.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
28 June 2025
Noun
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The defense wants to show any act that suggests Jane had free will and could have left Combs at any moment.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
24 June 2025
-
In this century, at least to a behavioral psychologist such as the late Daniel Kahneman, even the question of free will seems unsettled.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Will.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/will. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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