WILLING

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does willing mean? 

• WILLING (noun)
  The noun WILLING has 1 sense:

1. the act of making a choice

  Familiarity information: WILLING used as a noun is very rare.

• WILLING (adjective)
  The adjective WILLING has 2 senses:

1. disposed or inclined toward

2. not brought about by coercion or force

  Familiarity information: WILLING used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WILLING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of making a choice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

volition; willing

Context example:

followed my father of my own volition

Hypernyms ("willing" is a kind of...):

choice; option; pick; selection (the act of choosing or selecting)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "willing"):

intention (an act of intending; a volition that you intend to carry out)

Derivation:

will (determine by choice)

• WILLING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Disposed or inclined toward

Context example:

willing helpers

Similar:

consenting (having given consent)

disposed; fain; inclined; prepared (having made preparations)

glad; happy (eagerly disposed to act or to be of service)

ready (mentally disposed)

volitional (with deliberate intention)

willing and able (not reluctant)

Also:

compliant (inclined to comply)

inclined ((often followed by 'to') having a preference, disposition, or tendency)

ready (completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress)

voluntary (of your own free will or design; done by choice; not forced or compelled)

Attribute:

disposition; temperament (your usual mood)

Antonym:

unwilling (not disposed or inclined toward)

Derivation:

willingness (cheerful compliance)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not brought about by coercion or force

Synonyms:

uncoerced; unforced; willing

Context example:

the confession was uncoerced

Similar:

voluntary (of your own free will or design; done by choice; not forced or compelled)

 Context examples 

They may have a project for you, or they may direct you to a friend of theirs and be willing to make an introduction.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

To this I am willing; but is there none amongst us who has a better right?

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He was very willing to have a holiday, so we shut the business up and started off for the address that was given us in the advertisement.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

No longer walking in at all hours, as if ever willing to change his own home for their's!

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

He did not enter into any remonstrance with his other children: he was more willing to believe they felt their error than to run the risk of investigation.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

And she, having gone as far as she dared, was willing to wait the answer till she should bring the question up again.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

These men were willing to act as our personal servants, to cook, to row, or to make themselves useful in any way at a payment of fifteen dollars a month.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I was willing to hope that you must fare better.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Are there many of these mice which call you Queen and are willing to obey you?

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

"Do you like London?" said Edward, willing to say any thing that might introduce another subject.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)