willingness
Americannoun
-
consent or readiness to do something.
The majority of the neighborhood’s older residents were employed, and younger people showed a willingness to work but often could not find jobs.
-
an inclination or preference: The country has shown no sign of willingness to make concessions.
We admire her willingness to stand up for what she believes.
The country has shown no sign of willingness to make concessions.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of willingness
Explanation
If someone's willing, he has the quality of willingness, which can vary from meaning "prepared," to "enthusiastic," like your little brother's eager willingness to help walk the dog. If your troop of Girl Scouts has a willingness to try anything, it means they stay cheerful and ready, even if they're hiking through a prickly field of thistles. When something is done with willingness, there is no sense of resentment or hesitation. The word's origin lies in the Old English wyllan, "to wish, desire, or want."
Vocabulary lists containing willingness
"Fears and Phobias"
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The Benefits of Being an Octopus
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The Rock and the River
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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.
In terms of improvement, Brook has already shown a willingness to do the hard yards to become a better cricketer.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
The 6-foot-9 forward who signed a veteran minimum contract showed willingness to pick up opposing ball-handlers full court.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
Adidas’s strong quarter comes as the sports industry contends with high competition, soft demand and inflation pressures, which are all weighing on shoppers’ willingness to spend on discretionary goods.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
So I want to thank you for sharing such a personal story in a public forum, because sometimes there’s too little kindness and willingness to understand the lives of others.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026
The willingness of the two universities to share Robert Oppenheimer attested to the scarcity of qualified theoretical physicists in American academia, especially theoreticians of Oppenheimer’s distinction.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
