willing

adjective

will·​ing ˈwi-liŋ 

1

: inclined or favorably disposed in mind : ready

willing and eager to help

2

: prompt to act or respond

lending a willing hand

3

: done, borne, or accepted by choice or without reluctance

a willing sacrifice

4

: of or relating to the will or power of choosing : volitional

willingly

ˈwi-liŋ-lē 

adverb

willingness noun

Synonyms

• amenable
• disposed
• fain
• game
• glad
• inclined
• minded
• ready

Choose the Right Synonym for willing

voluntary, intentional, deliberate, willing mean done or brought about of one's own will.

voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion.

a voluntary confession

intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved.

the intentional concealment of vital information

deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences.

deliberate acts of sabotage

willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another.

willing obedience

Examples of willing in a Sentence

He was a willing participant in the crime.

She's lending a willing hand.

Recent Examples on the Web

The property owner in Bakersfield was willing to accept their unemployment payments as proof of income. —Cathie Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 23 Jan. 2025

Whether the 49ers are willing to pony up that cash remains to be seen. —Vincent Frank, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025

After a splashy debut at Cannes, no major U.S. distributor seemed willing to touch the controversial feature until upstart Briarcliff picked it up. —J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 23 Jan. 2025

Maybe another team is willing to pass on more expiring money while also handing over pick capital to get a deal done to get more shot-creation upside from the backcourt. —Sam Vecenie, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing willing

• God willing
• show willing
• the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Kids Definition

willing

adjective

will·​ing ˈwil-iŋ 

1

: feeling no objection : ready

willing to go

2

: prompt to act or respond

willing workers

3

: done, made, or given by choice

a willing sacrifice

willingly adverb

willingness noun