goodwill

Or good will

[good-wil]

noun

1. friendly disposition; benevolence; kindness.

   Synonyms: friendliness

2. cheerful acquiescence or consent.

3. Commerce.,  an intangible, saleable asset arising from the reputation of a business and its relations with its customers, distinct from the value of its stock and other tangible assets.

goodwill

/ ˌɡʊdˈwɪl /

noun

1. a feeling of benevolence, approval, and kindly interest

2. (modifier) resulting from, showing, or designed to show goodwill

   the government sent a goodwill mission to Moscow

   a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF

3. willingness or acquiescence

4. accounting an intangible asset taken into account in assessing the value of an enterprise and reflecting its commercial reputation, customer connections, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of goodwill¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English gōd willa. See good, will ²

Synonym Study

See favor.

Example Sentences

Easing the path for departing companies also preserves goodwill for any future deals, Roy said.

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Over the years, Qualcomm’s top executives have met with Beijing’s top officials in an effort to show goodwill and maintain positive ties.

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The U.S. has slashed aid that once won goodwill among the region’s 660 million people, from programs to reduce Amazon deforestation to improving job opportunities for Central Americans and helping Colombian farmers get land titles.

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That Budget, says John Caudwell, with its £25bn rise in employers' National Insurance, undid a lot of the goodwill the chancellor had garnered.

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“With goodwill and common sense, I believe we can come up with ways to do this, without vilifying and demonizing children.”

Read more on Salon