as in enthusiasm
cheerful readiness to do something
his unhesitating willingness to take on the tough assignments has earned him the status of the president's right-hand man
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Recent Examples of willingness
Creative work often demands emotional investment, long stretches of focus and a willingness to push past comfort zones.
—
Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
The open threats probably wouldn’t fly past committee, but Jerry’s willingness to sacrifice student wellbeing for profit has the whiff of many a modern Ivy League president.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026
Alito’s more recent willingness to telegraph his preferences has coincided with more gruffness and edgier assertions in his interviews and speeches.
—Peter S. Canellos, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The tools and ambitions might be converging, but the structures and willingness are not.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026
His forechecking, speed (91st percentile in max speed reached, per NHL Edge) and willingness to drive to the net all jump out.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Scientific medicine is defined by its willingness to be wrong.
—Kyle P. Edmonds, STAT, 9 Apr. 2026
Partners do not need to show up with desire, just willingness.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
LaCava hailed SeaWorld’s willingness to experiment with light shows, noting that the proposal was a byproduct of extensive community collaboration.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
The open threats probably wouldn’t fly past committee, but Jerry’s willingness to sacrifice student wellbeing for profit has the whiff of many a modern Ivy League president.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026
Alito’s more recent willingness to telegraph his preferences has coincided with more gruffness and edgier assertions in his interviews and speeches.
—Peter S. Canellos, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The tools and ambitions might be converging, but the structures and willingness are not.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026
His forechecking, speed (91st percentile in max speed reached, per NHL Edge) and willingness to drive to the net all jump out.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Scientific medicine is defined by its willingness to be wrong.
—Kyle P. Edmonds, STAT, 9 Apr. 2026
Partners do not need to show up with desire, just willingness.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
LaCava hailed SeaWorld’s willingness to experiment with light shows, noting that the proposal was a byproduct of extensive community collaboration.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willingness
Noun
-
In his teaching, Weil conveyed his love for Russian literature’s very lengthy — and at times dark and depressing — novels with enthusiasm and aplomb, colleagues recalled.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Clinton did not elicit the same enthusiasm, nor the same level of support, that powered Obama to victory twice.—
David M. Drucker,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Neither Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune nor Schumer, his Democratic equal, have shown any alacrity as of yet to cancel recess.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Yet there are good reasons why Broncos Country was more than a little alarmed at the alacrity with which GM George Paton and coach Sean Payton seemed to sit on their respective hands during the opening days of the NFL’s free-agent signing period.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Finalizing contract extensions for fan favorites Pete Crow-Armstrong and Nico Hoerner during the first homestand created even more goodwill.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
-
He and the rest of the Citgo Six—one of them was released months prior as a goodwill gesture—were told they were being sent to a meeting.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His dedication to his craft and his competitiveness fueled his zeal for the win at the cookoff.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Queenstown has no shortage of adventure activities that square a zeal for exhilaration with a scenic backdrop.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Students buzzed with eagerness as helmets and communication equipment were also passed around.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The King is said to be eager to see his grandchildren, and with Charles battling cancer, there seems to be an eagerness to make the meeting happen sooner rather than later.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Part of what becomes apparent watching Chalamet do a press tour is his seemingly unlimited supply of gameness.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
-
De Shields arrived first, wearing a buffalo-plaid toque and a mien of utter gameness.—
Henry Alford,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Willingness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willingness. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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