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
The scheme has been so successful, law enforcement has created a joint FBI-National Security Division task force to disrupt the operations and have dealt a series of harsh prison terms to American accomplices who have willingly aided the North Koreans.
—
Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Part of the experiment involves Mesler willingly extricating himself from Kordansky’s gallery roster.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 14 May 2026
The idea that fragile multiparty coalition partners will willingly orchestrate record high fuel and food prices just months before voters head to the polls in local elections is fiscal fantasy.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 8 May 2026
Even when a woman willingly and lovingly forgoes her time, convenience, comfort and preferences for her child’s sake, the opposition remains.
—Literary Hub, 5 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions Some thyme varieties, like creeping thyme, spread willingly.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Apr. 2026
Before his trial, Hitchcock pulled back his confession and said his brother, Richard Hitchcock — Cindy’s stepfather — killed the girl in a fit of rage after discovering James Hitchcock and the girl willingly in bed together.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
In the dying days of the Russian Empire, highborn ladies would willingly cut the dirty fingernails of the peasant Grigori Rasputin and then sew the clippings onto their dresses like sacred talismans.
—Gerard Degroot, Air Mail, 25 Apr. 2026
Michael Jackson‘s estate is facing a new wave of molestation allegations leveled at the late pop star, this time from four siblings from New Jersey who say they were groomed and abused for years and that the many handlers in Jackson’s entourage willingly enabled it all.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Part of the experiment involves Mesler willingly extricating himself from Kordansky’s gallery roster.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 14 May 2026
The idea that fragile multiparty coalition partners will willingly orchestrate record high fuel and food prices just months before voters head to the polls in local elections is fiscal fantasy.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 8 May 2026
Even when a woman willingly and lovingly forgoes her time, convenience, comfort and preferences for her child’s sake, the opposition remains.
—Literary Hub, 5 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions Some thyme varieties, like creeping thyme, spread willingly.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Apr. 2026
Before his trial, Hitchcock pulled back his confession and said his brother, Richard Hitchcock — Cindy’s stepfather — killed the girl in a fit of rage after discovering James Hitchcock and the girl willingly in bed together.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
In the dying days of the Russian Empire, highborn ladies would willingly cut the dirty fingernails of the peasant Grigori Rasputin and then sew the clippings onto their dresses like sacred talismans.
—Gerard Degroot, Air Mail, 25 Apr. 2026
Michael Jackson‘s estate is facing a new wave of molestation allegations leveled at the late pop star, this time from four siblings from New Jersey who say they were groomed and abused for years and that the many handlers in Jackson’s entourage willingly enabled it all.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willingly
Adverb
-
That means viewership around such stuff is smaller, and the networks need to show that ads are reaching not the most people, but rather the most likely people to be interested in a bottle of soda, a specific kind of running shoe, or a new weight-loss drug.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
15 May 2026
-
That’s because the government’s gas tax isn’t collected right at the pump, but rather at the wholesale level.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Adverb
-
Six took up redistricting voluntarily, one was required to by its state constitution and another did so under court order.—
David A. Lieb,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
Previously under the impression Gali had voluntarily extended her military service, Orna learns she was actually discharged early, then entered some shady deals with her ex-comrades.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Adverb
-
But there’s pleasure in staying put in town too, preferably eating fish and chips at Lewis’ Seafood Restaurant and watching the light shift over the North Sea.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
13 May 2026
-
Researchers from University College London (UCL) found that at least a weekly dose of art—preferably of diverse forms and types—made people on average about a year younger, as suggested by changes to DNA and in terms of overall health, than those who rarely treated themselves to the creative arts.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
12 May 2026
Adverb
-
Dong wrote articles arguing for constitutional democracy, political reform and transparency in politics — views allowed to circulate freely in the past that are now taboo in China.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
-
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz since late February has blocked a large portion of the global oil supply from flowing freely, and uncertainty surrounding the conflict has kept oil prices volatile.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Adverb
-
When a successful law-graduate cousin announces a plan to open a high-end restaurant in town, Azik’s loftiest dreams are reawakened — but one look at him, with his cauliflower ear and his antsy demeanor, is enough to tell you Azik is not someone for whom dreams readily come true.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 May 2026
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Because soil can absorb only so much water at once, what is not soaked up collects on the surface where it's more readily evaporated.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Willingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willingly. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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