willed
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of willed
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at will 2, -ed 3
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.
For St. Augustine, desire was the bondage of the divided self, which willed the good but somehow willed more strongly not to do it.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
"It is pure intention: if there is chaos, it is authored chaos: if it is ugly, it is designed ugliness; if it is absurd, it is willed absurdity."
From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026
He didn’t wander into greatness: he pursued it, willed it, achieved it.
From Slate • Feb. 16, 2026
I have willed her 100% of my estate.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026
He willed himself to step up into the helicopter, pulled the door closed, and they rose skyward.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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.
