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
Torres Maldonado then willingly exited the car and was arrested.
—
Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
Other clergy have willingly faced arrest for their advocacy on behalf of immigrants, seeing it as a moral calling.
—Laura E. Alexander, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
Law enforcement doesn’t believe the elderly woman, who has health problems, left her house willingly.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
The family called 911, and after an initial investigation, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department determined this was a criminal case, not a situation involving a senior citizen who had willingly left or wandered off.
—Dan Reilly, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2026
Investigators do not believe Nancy Guthrie left her home willingly and that she was abducted in her sleep early Sunday morning, the Pima County Sheriff's Department told ABC News.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 3 Feb. 2026
Volunteers often are needed for low-level jobs that Quimby does willingly, including keeping track of how long a person is taking for a shower, arbitrating the line for use of two bathrooms, and moderating use of washers and driers.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
The man willingly moved into the basement 20 years ago, but his health has since deteriorated, per the outlet.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 25 Jan. 2026
Smith allegedly willingly gave her child to a family member of the potential buyer, and 2½ hours later demanded a $10,000 payment or the return of her child, according to the criminal complaint.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
Other clergy have willingly faced arrest for their advocacy on behalf of immigrants, seeing it as a moral calling.
—Laura E. Alexander, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
Law enforcement doesn’t believe the elderly woman, who has health problems, left her house willingly.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
The family called 911, and after an initial investigation, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department determined this was a criminal case, not a situation involving a senior citizen who had willingly left or wandered off.
—Dan Reilly, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2026
Investigators do not believe Nancy Guthrie left her home willingly and that she was abducted in her sleep early Sunday morning, the Pima County Sheriff's Department told ABC News.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 3 Feb. 2026
Volunteers often are needed for low-level jobs that Quimby does willingly, including keeping track of how long a person is taking for a shower, arbitrating the line for use of two bathrooms, and moderating use of washers and driers.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
The man willingly moved into the basement 20 years ago, but his health has since deteriorated, per the outlet.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 25 Jan. 2026
Smith allegedly willingly gave her child to a family member of the potential buyer, and 2½ hours later demanded a $10,000 payment or the return of her child, according to the criminal complaint.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willingly
Adverb
-
The pace isn’t slow but, rather, timeless; Depardon builds it with long takes that are emptied of what the captive thinks of as her life but full of an alternative time scale, a meta-experience of its own.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2026
-
During her lifetime, Gwen John’s achievements were rather overshadowed by those of her younger brother Augustus, said Jonathan Jones in The Guardian.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The School Board did that voluntarily in 2023 when the legality of several meetings was challenged.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The memo says these refugees can return to government custody voluntarily by appearing for an interview at an immigration office.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
In a country where people cannot always reach their families or speak freely, music has become a way of asking a question when nothing else would go through.—
Eda Uysen,
Rolling Stone,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Many plants, especially annual flowers, freely self-seed in the garden.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The Antarctic Ocean is heavily layered, or stratified, to a depth of around 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) because of conflicting properties including colder, denser water from below not readily mixing with fresh water running off melting ice from above.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Devine complied, readily snapping her fingers and strutting her stuff.—
Shelley Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Willingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willingly. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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