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.
Ultimately, the research points toward a future in which vaccination decisions could be informed by an individual's own level of immune readiness.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
The researchers call these "sentinel" antibodies because they may serve as indicators of a person's underlying immune readiness.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
The Pentagon said the adjustments would preserve essential readiness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
South Korea has reviewed "practical military contributions" it could make, while taking into account its defence readiness and domestic legal procedures, national security adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
I averred that the fortifications there were not in a complete state of readiness, but we could imagine no other strategy.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
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.
