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
- overwillingness noun
- prewillingness noun
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.
That said, workers’ willingness to pay for training did range substantially from some people seeing it as essential for their future employment, while others have zero willingness to pay for their own.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
China’s imposition of rare-earth export restrictions last year showed Beijing’s willingness to wield its market power.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
Bern's second try came after a neat offload from Claudia Moloney-MacDonald, which rewarded the hosts' willingness to play an open and expansive brand of rugby.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
From Tehran, “I’m sensing an overall willingness to negotiate, and that includes the hard-liners,” said Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Washington-based institute who specializes in Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
“I admire your willingness to think outside the box,” Mrs. Torrance said, glancing around at the students in her class.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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.
