willingly

adverb

Definition of willinglynext
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for willingly
  1. rather
  2. preferably
  3. freely
  4. readily
Adverb
  • The company has been producing rather odd yet nifty motorcycles for a while now, with most using the same 7-horsepower Kohler engine.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Having seen, or rather not, messages to Gmail users disappearing into the ether for more than 12 months, one Forbes.com reader reached out in desperation for help.
    Davey Winder, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of rather
Adverb
  • The word for the fifth-act climax of risotto—the scene in which the butter (preferably cold, from the fridge) and the Parmesan are brought onstage and obliged to mingle with the other characters—is mantecatura.
    Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Advertisement Wherever Nikki alights is a space to laugh, play the dozens (preferably over bid whist), celebrate and, yes mourn and sing with these and other giants.
    L. Lamar Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024
Definition of preferably
Adverb
  • Electronic Arts is expanding its accessibility program with 23 additional tech patents that other companies and developers can freely use without being slapped with an infringement lawsuit.
    Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 5 Dec. 2024
  • The company’s board had been interviewing semiconductor executives for several weeks, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential information freely.
    Rohan Goswami, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of freely
Adverb
  • Obvious identifiers like a street name, alma mater or other information that may be readily available online are ill-advised, experts say.
    Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2024
  • Administrative representatives at the university’s main campus in Anza and a branch campus in Mill Valley, Calif., did not have documents readily available related to student and faculty rosters and class syllabi, officers said.
    Colleen Shalby, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Definition of readily
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near willingly

willing

willingly

willingness

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Cite this Entry

“Willingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willingly. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on willingly

Nglish: Translation of willingly for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of willingly for Arabic Speakers

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