will 1 of 2

verb

ˈwil How to pronounce will (audio)
Definition of willnext
1
as in to leave
to give by means of a will willed their house to their adult children

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to want
to see fit do as you will—I wash my hands of the whole affair

Synonyms & Similar Words

will

2 of 2

noun

ˈwil How to pronounce will (audio)
1
as in restraint
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions she kept her face still by sheer force of will

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in choice
the act or power of making one's own choices or decisions you cannot force me to do anything against my own will

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of will
Verb
Director Rob Savage tells EW that ‘the film gods willed it’ for Chastain to play these dual roles. — Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Aug. 2026 Evans willed his way to an even brawl before Dominik Mysterio interfered with a cheapshot. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
Conflicting accounts from those in attendance say he was either held up by traffic or held against his will by male priests, friends of his, who locked him in his room to prevent him from attending. — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 That'll frustrate Notre Dame fans, but not as much as this will. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for will
Recent Examples of Synonyms for will
  1. leave
  2. want
  3. restraint
  4. choice
  5. bequeath
  6. please
  7. determination
  8. free will
Verb
  • One flight last week leaving from al-Qassim airport north of Riyadh to Geneva, sold for €94,000 ($105,000), compared with a price of about €60,000 ($67,000) before the closure of the main airport in Riyadh.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • This serving tray combines natural rattan with an elevated floral pattern filled with roses and autumn leaves atop a stainless steel base.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of leave
Verb
  • Japanese flight controllers want to avoid powdery soil and rough terrain when the mothership, a four-legged stationary lander, descends to the surface to gather samples in late 2028 or 2029.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Florida Poly now wants to investigate what a piloted electric aircraft can offer.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of want
Noun
  • Kitchen also had to develop a little more restraint — something that doesn't always come naturally in a sport where riders are constantly pushing the limits of speed and control.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Sullivan faces two counts of first-degree kidnapping and a single count each of first-degree assault, first-degree unlawful restraint and intentional cruelty to persons.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of restraint
Noun
  • And per-action authorization proves an instruction was permitted, not that the decision behind it was sound; an agent manipulated into a bad choice within its authority still needs monitoring and human oversight.
    — Julian Durand, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • For now, however, Bangladesh’s garment workers—and billions across the Global South—have little choice but to endure given scant signs of relief in oil markets.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of choice
Verb
  • But her tradition does appear to have bequeathed her a powerful suspicion of the will.
    — James Wood, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Charles Hall later bequeathed the property to his wife and children when his health declined, family said.
    — Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of bequeath
Verb
  • But all that warm, crowd-pleasing material is incongruously, fascinatingly, and not so comfortably fitted inside a story about great loss.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
  • And for options that can please any giftee on your list, check out gourmet food calendars filled with decadent chocolates, loose-leaf teas, jams and jellies, and more.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of please
Noun
  • Sandy’s medical expenses were submitted to Kaiser for possible reimbursement; a determination remains pending.
    — Lance B. Fulford, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The federal government will then issue its final determinations, and what happens next will be unexplored legal territory.
    — Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of determination
Noun
  • Stewart said that playing free will help the defense build on its success.
    — Jordan Puente, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • To those who would never run a 5K of their own free will, this probably sounds like a spooky nightmare.
    — Stephanie Williams, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of free will

Phrases Containing will

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wiling
will
willed
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Cite this Entry

“Will.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/will. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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