1
as in rather
by choice or preference
I would not willingly eat liver, but sometimes I have no choice
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in voluntarily
of one's own free will
I willingly made the campaign contribution; no one pressured me into doing so
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of willingly
If CosRx can convince people to willingly slather snail mucin on their faces, trusting the brand with hair care is a pretty easy next step.
—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
18 June 2026
Hart willingly did the dirty work, snatching up rebounds rather than points.
—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Our city has willingly taken on the monumental task of honoring each loss.
—
Rev. José Rodriguez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Then there was Officer Niwa, who willingly fielded questions across from Moynihan Hall.
—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Bell, who’d willingly chosen the juco route, was more interested in sincere investments in his development than instant money.
—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
No one has claimed possession of it, says the complaint, so there is no evidence the Lieser family ever willingly gave anyone else possession of it.
—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
5 June 2026
Show your generous leadership by offering a clear plan with two workable options, then invite feedback and keep the energy light so people join you willingly.
—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2026
The author, Arthur Koestler, wrote it to explore how a dedicated Communist could bring himself willingly to admit to absurd crimes.
—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
18 June 2026
Hart willingly did the dirty work, snatching up rebounds rather than points.
—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Our city has willingly taken on the monumental task of honoring each loss.
—
Rev. José Rodriguez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Then there was Officer Niwa, who willingly fielded questions across from Moynihan Hall.
—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Bell, who’d willingly chosen the juco route, was more interested in sincere investments in his development than instant money.
—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
No one has claimed possession of it, says the complaint, so there is no evidence the Lieser family ever willingly gave anyone else possession of it.
—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
5 June 2026
Show your generous leadership by offering a clear plan with two workable options, then invite feedback and keep the energy light so people join you willingly.
—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2026
The author, Arthur Koestler, wrote it to explore how a dedicated Communist could bring himself willingly to admit to absurd crimes.
—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willingly
Adverb
-
The menu at Ardys’ food truck is rather sparse compared to its restaurant in Philippine Cultural Center, but the truck could arguably sell just one item and still do just fine.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
In bacteria, transcription factors are rather like keys that fit the locks of unique binding sites on DNA.—
Philip Ball,
Quanta Magazine,
18 June 2026
Adverb
-
According to police records obtained by ABC News, the guns, ammunition and other tactical gear that was taken from Tycen Proper's room by his family was located at the home of his grandfather and turned over voluntarily to the to the Knox County Sheriff's Office for safekeeping.—
Jack Date,
ABC News,
19 June 2026
-
Companies that voluntarily released sustainability and ESG reports annually since FY 2021, stopped the practice for FY 2025.—
Jon McGowan,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Adverb
-
Make sure to aim the water to the soil and not the foliage, and preferably water in the morning.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
24 June 2026
-
Prune indeterminate tomatoes at least every couple of weeks, preferably more often, as new suckers appear on the plant.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
22 June 2026
Adverb
-
What about a legal right for AIs to freely access the public internet (the right to information); or a legal right for AIs to interact with other AIs (the right to associate); or a legal right to some minimum amount of computing power (the right to necessary resources)?—
Rob Toews,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2026
-
As for their hairstyles, while Lady Eliza chose to let her hair flow freely over her shoulders, her sister Amelia opted for an extremely elegant low ponytail.—
Laura Scafati,
Vanity Fair,
20 June 2026
Adverb
-
When a stadium is not readily available, fans innovate.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
-
One likely practical reason is that these genes are already well-studied and readily can be gene edited.—
Paul Knoepfler,
STAT,
24 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Willingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willingly. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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