as in conscious
made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing
a hard-nosed industrialist with a willed indifference to public opinion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bequeathed
to give by means of a will
willed their house to their adult children
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in pleased
to see fit
do as you will—I wash my hands of the whole affair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of willed
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Toolson made his first five shots in the second half and almost willed TCU to a comeback by himself.
—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Jan. 2026
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
Turner willed the network into being at great personal and financial risk.
—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for willed
Adjective
In addition to Marmee, there’s Aunt March who serves as an even stronger willed maternal figure for the March sisters.
—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Toolson made his first five shots in the second half and almost willed TCU to a comeback by himself.
—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
Or how, still recovering from career-threatening leg injuries in 2015, Busch effectively willed himself to a win on the demanding Sonoma road course.
—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
Turner willed the network into being at great personal and financial risk.
—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for willed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willed
Adjective
-
Firefighters have declared the blaze knocked down but will stay on scene for flare-ups as demolition begins, while officials promise a health-conscious cleanup that minimizes impacts on surrounding residents.
-
Anderson’s more low-key reveal could be chalked up to such factors as the union was her husband’s second, as well as the ongoing political unrest and cost-conscious consumers.
Verb
-
In contrast, the railway boom and the internet stock bubble bequeathed to the economy some vital infrastructure, such as tracks, rolling stock, and fibre-optic cables.
-
Each box owner has about 10 seats that can be transferred, rented out or bequeathed.
Verb
-
Netflix has a new #1 movie in its top 10 list, a romantic comedy that seems to have pleased both critics and audiences alike, far from a sure thing in that genre.
-
Success was whatever pleased him that afternoon.
Adjective
-
What is needed now is a deliberate consolidation of overlapping groups into effective coalitions, accompanied by rigorous tracking of donors and their commitments.
-
Also woven into the story is Lim Bo Seng, the real-life resistance leader who serves as a mentor figure to Kai, and Takeshi Inoue, a Japanese officer drawn with deliberate moral complexity.
Verb
-
Farshidfard, a Long Beach State alum, says he's wanted to give back to the community that gave him so much since moving to the area.
-
Jones’ mother wanted to know what happened to her only child, Fair said.
Adjective
-
The reason is that the administration has shrunk the requirements for reports of immunization from states, changing the reports from mandated to voluntary.
-
Without control of committee gavels — and the subpoena power that comes with them — legislative inquiries from the Hill minority generally rely on the voluntary compliance from their targets to produce documents or testimony.
Verb
-
In a February statement, UC Davis said that equestrian athletes who wished to continue competing at the varsity level at another institution would be supported in exploring transfer opportunities.
-
Customers wished all the best for Smith, a dedicated father and chef.
Adjective
-
If the device experience fails, the software running on it rarely delivers its intended value.
-
The plaintiffs have also accused Bayer of negligence and misrepresentation of Roundup's safety in its marketing, and have alleged that the product was defective for its intended purpose.
Cite this Entry
“Willed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willed. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
