willing
Americanadjective
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disposed or consenting; inclined.
willing to go along.
- Synonyms:
- minded
-
cheerfully consenting or ready.
a willing worker.
-
done, given, borne, used, etc., with cheerful readiness.
adjective
-
favourably disposed or inclined; ready
-
cheerfully or eagerly compliant
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done, given, accepted, etc, freely or voluntarily
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of willing
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; see will 2, -ing 2
Explanation
If you're willing to do something, you're agreeable or ready. A willing participant in your play is someone who won't have to be coerced into taking part, but is happy to join you on stage. Imagine that your neighbor asks whether you're willing to feed her cat while she's out of town. If you're open to helping her, perhaps even enthusiastic about spending time with a friendly cat, you're willing. Someone who's not willing would have to be persuaded or forced to do it. You can also use this adjective to mean "readily or enthusiastically done," as in the willing support you offer your best friend when she runs for class president.
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.
Dimon said in a memo to employees announcing Bisignano’s departure in 2013 that he was a “capable executive willing to take on the most complex challenges and get the job done.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
He has also said he is willing to tackle access to social care - again, a complex and potentially expensive policy which others have tried, and failed, to tackle.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Supporters have defended Tate as a controversial figure willing to challenge mainstream ideas about masculinity.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
Legacy uses the same general-purpose machines available to other businesses willing to invest in the equipment, and no printers are marketed exclusively for Hollywood, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
“We can’t even start to address this if you’re not willing to admit the truth.”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
