Definition of the word willing

Last Updated:
30 Mar 2023
— Updated example sentences

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

• (adjective): Old English willende, present participle of willan
• (noun): Old English willung, from willian

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɪlɪŋ/
• Hyphenation: will‧ing
• Rhymes: -ɪlɪŋ

Adjective[edit]

willing (comparative more willing, superlative most willing)

1. Ready to do something that is not (can’t be expected as) a matter of course.

   If my boyfriend isn’t willing to change his drinking habits, I will split up with him.

   • 1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the World Screamed‎^[1]:

     «Of course, the ventilation is awful. We pump the air down, but two-hour shifts are the most the men can do — and they are willing lads too.»

   • 1947 January and February, O. S. Nock, “»The Aberdonian» in Wartime”, in Railway Magazine, pages 3, 5:

     Coal-eaters they may have been, but a more willing or harder working Atlantic engine was never designed.

   • 2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:

     Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth.

   • 2022 January 12, Benedict le Vay, “The heroes of Soham…”, in RAIL, number 948, page 43:

     Typically for the ‘get-on-with-it’ era, the railway and military worked like demons to restore the vital rail link. The crater was rapidly filled in and the earth tamped solid, the wreckage was removed by breakdown trains, new rails and sleepers were rushed forward by willing hands, and US Army bulldozers piled in. By 2020 on the same day, both tracks were open for traffic again where there had been a gaping pit just hours before.

Synonyms[edit]

• agreeable, agreeing, consenting, voluntary; See also Thesaurus:acquiescent

Derived terms[edit]

• willing horse
• willingly
• willingness

Translations[edit]

Noun[edit]

willing (plural willings)

1. (rare or obsolete) The execution of a will.

Verb[edit]

willing

1. present participle of will

Further reading[edit]

• willing in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• “willing”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Coalition of the willing has become a joke: The “coalition of the willing” has become the butt of jokes rather than serious criticism. ❋ Unknown (2003)

It doesn’t matter what Sen. Arlen Specter says, he is still just a scared old man, willing to postulate himself before the alter of the neo-con crazies, to keep his status, money and power..willing to commit treasonous acts against his own country for the almighty dollar and comfort in his doting, slavering old age..to hell with the grandchildren… ❋ Unknown (2006)

It just took some time to find a label willing to take the risk to sign a French band singing in English. ❋ Salvatore Bono (2011)

Ed Stasium tried but couldn’t find a label willing to pick up the album. ❋ Mickey Leigh (2009)

Here, therefore, we feign a new act of the mind, which we call the willing an obligation; and on this we suppose the morality to depend. ❋ David Hume (1743)

Oh, and another disc of previously recorded (but never released) stuff that the band’s looking to put out too, if it can find a home for it on a label willing to take the chance of releasing and distributing it. ❋ Unknown (2009)

To have a label willing to come alongside us and not define us is great! ❋ Unknown (2008)

Posts: 33 iTrader: (need review writer for a money making program (adsense like, bux, affiliate, etc) as described in the title willing to pay $0,5 per article in condition: ❋ Unknown (2009)

Part of the explanation for why they aren’t so willing is just old-fashioned elitism. ❋ Unknown (2010)

A lucky few might find another major label willing to sign them, or they could end up renegotiating their contracts, but the vast majority are expected to either break up or retreat to an independent label. ❋ Click Track (2011)

So long as we remain willing to be led around by the likes of Limbaugh, Beck, Maddow, tea baggers and the sort we will remain a nation of fools, whipsawed by extremists. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Many companies are likely to choose the latter option — and even those that remain willing to invest in tax-credit projects are likely to invest less. ❋ Unknown (2009)

«The tenants are highly organized and remain willing to partner with an entity that shares and can meet its goals,» he said. ❋ Eliot Brown And (2010)

1.Jeff is willing to stick his penis in a [blender].
2.[Marsha] is willing to drink the penis [smoothie]. ❋ Scuttles/Jar Jar/Gerod/Agent J (2006)

(guy is [staring] at a girl from across the room)
girl ([to friend]): that guy is [soo] willing me. ❋ Miss Emily Anne (2006)

[John David] participated in a «Willing» ❋ TNTUser1337 (2011)

You willfully [submitted], even though [you knew] you would later [regret] it. ❋ ChloversTheFabtabulous (2014)

Girl:Omg he is [so hot]
other girl: [yeah i know] [hes] name is Wille ❋ Qwesitysq (2019)

[Connor] [walked in] to the [bathroom] and met a wills. ❋ Searlesy (2003)

«did you see wills [over there]?»
«yeah he’s going [hardcore] with [grace]!» ❋ Themamamamama (2011)

homie girl 1: «mmm… [who dat] over [dere], he some fine pumpkin…»
homie girl 2: «oh gurl… you not met him [‘fore]. He’s Wills the most lovable and amazing guy in the entire world»
homie girl1: «aahhh… now dat makes sense… he’s got a fan of people following behind him… shall we trail?» ❋ Jiggy Peewee (2010)

Person 1: [that’s why] [climate change] exists
[Person 2]: Wills ❋ Eyelessjamie11 (2019)

[that guy] got [wills’d]
they were willsing [last night] ❋ Fatty Mchugelarge (2006)

• Defenition of the word willing

  • Ready to do something that is not a matter of course.
  • disposed or willing to comply; «someone amenable to persuasion»; «the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak»- Matthew 26:41
  • not brought about by coercion or force; «the confession was uncoerced»
  • the act of making a choice; «followed my father of my own choice»
  • disposed or inclined toward; «a willing participant»; «willing helpers»
  • the act of making a choice; «followed my father of my own volition»
  • the act of making a choice
  • not brought about by coercion or force
  • disposed or inclined toward

Synonyms for the word willing

• • agreeable
  • amenable
  • disposed
  • eager
  • enthusiastic
  • keen
  • prepared
  • ready
  • uncoerced
  • unforced
  • volition

Similar words in the willing

• • compliant
  • consenting
  • disposed
  • disposed(p)
  • fain
  • glad
  • inclined
  • inclined(p)
  • lief
  • lief(p)
  • prepared
  • ready
  • volitional
  • voluntary
  • willing
  • willing and able
  • willinger
  • willingest
  • willingness
  • willingness’s

Hyponyms for the word willing

• • intention

Hypernyms for the word willing

• • choice
  • option
  • pick
  • selection

Antonyms for the word willing

• • unwilling

See other words

• • What is about to
  • The definition of resolutes
  • The interpretation of the word structured
  • What is meant by steadfast
  • The lexical meaning purposeful
  • The dictionary meaning of the word unbendable
  • The grammatical meaning of the word resoluter
  • Meaning of the word persevering
  • Literal and figurative meaning of the word rigidness
  • The origin of the word continuous
  • Synonym for the word one hundred per cent
  • Antonyms for the word rock-solid
  • Homonyms for the word solider
  • Hyponyms for the word solidarity
  • Holonyms for the word solidest
  • Hypernyms for the word readying
  • Proverbs and sayings for the word solidification
  • Translation of the word in other languages enduring