1
as in rather
by choice or preference
I would not willingly eat liver, but sometimes I have no choice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in voluntarily
of one's own free will
I willingly made the campaign contribution; no one pressured me into doing so
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willingly
Adverb
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Last year featured a quirky and rather enjoyable mystery focusing on why a minor character Susan Triad (Susan Twist) kept appearing in every episode.—
Scott Bryan,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2025 -
Health concerns weren’t the only reason for the ban, however; rather, some voters believed claims that fluoridation was part of a communist plot against the country.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Pour out leftover water, preferably into a nearby plant.—
Kelly Dawson,
Architectural Digest,
28 Mar. 2025
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Chicago Blackhawks – Connor Bedard is a tremendous talent, but the Hawks need a sidekick of equal skill – preferably someone bigger than Bedard’s 5-foot-10 stature – to take some heat off him.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
20 Mar. 2025
Adverb
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To recover them, Mayday needs the help of someone who can move freely among the Gilead patrols.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2025
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The attacks left one hospitalized, dozens with injuries and one man missing two hats Residents of a small town in the United Kingdom can walk around freely now that a hawk that had been terrorizing them for around a month was finally captured last week.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Adverb
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Assessing the right-back market heading into the summer, few readily available options would definitely appeal to Liverpool.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
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Since many automakers will follow in the footsteps of Audi and Volkswagen, new car imports will be delayed, making used cars much more readily available.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Willingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willingly. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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