readiness
Americannoun
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the condition of being ready.
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ready movement; promptness; quickness.
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willingness; inclination; cheerful consent.
a readiness to help others.
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a developmental stage at which a child has the capacity to receive instruction at a given level of difficulty or to engage in a particular activity.
noun
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the state of being ready or prepared, as for use or action
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prepared and waiting
all was in readiness for the guests' arrival
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in preparation for
he tidied the house in readiness for the guests' arrival
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willingness or eagerness to do something
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ease or promptness
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of readiness
Explanation
Readiness is a quality of being able or willing to do something. An athlete's readiness for the Olympics has to do with how warmed up she is, whether she's recovered from injuries, as well as her psychological state. Your readiness for something usually has to do with how well prepared you are. Your parents might have decorated a room and bought a crib before you were born, in readiness for your arrival. And local police sometimes clear the streets and direct traffic away in readiness for a big parade. Readiness can also mean "willingness," like an eager kindergartner's readiness to learn how to read.
Vocabulary lists containing readiness
"Dragon, Dragon"
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The Suffix -ness, Part 1
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for June 25–July 1, 2022
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The regiment provides close support combat engineering to 7th Light Mechanised Brigade, known as the "Desert Rats", which is part of Nato's "Very High Readiness" task force.
From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026
The Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030 sets out four priority joint defense procurement projects, and a target to boost the joint acquisition of arms to 40% by the end of 2027, up from around 20% currently.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025
Last legislative session, the state adopted our proposal to pilot a model based on the Bed Readiness program in Everett, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver and at Harborview in Seattle.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 4, 2024
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Gilbert Cisneros pushed back against lawmakers’ criticism on Thursday, saying the DOD’s diversity and inclusion efforts are “fundamentally about supporting our people.”
From Washington Times • Mar. 23, 2023
Trying not to be obvious about it, he and his men counted the canoes, toting up “50 of Birch Bark, & 170 of Pine; besides many others that were block’d out, in Readiness to make.”
From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
