readiness
Americannoun
-
the condition of being ready.
-
ready movement; promptness; quickness.
-
willingness; inclination; cheerful consent.
a readiness to help others.
-
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
-
the state of being ready or prepared, as for use or action
-
-
prepared and waiting
all was in readiness for the guests' arrival
-
in preparation for
he tidied the house in readiness for the guests' arrival
-
-
willingness or eagerness to do something
-
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Suffix -ness, Part 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for June 25–July 1, 2022
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Because UC largely stopped collecting scores after 2020, faculty have no systemwide data linking admitted students’ classroom readiness to test performance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
The Party Secretary of Zhejiang's Hangzhou city, Liu Fei, urged officials to shift into a "state of combat readiness" to prepare for Bavi's arrival.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
Last month provided further evidence of this readiness to tie health financing to American priorities - with the announcement that the US would withdraw completely from funding HIV/Aids programmes in South Africa.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
But “Wedges” oversold the readiness of carbon capture and storage, describing it as “already deployed” industrially.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
Now cut along and explain to Ma Costa, and hold yourself in readiness to leave.”
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
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.
