1
: having a will especially of a specified kind
—usually used in combination
strong-willed
2
Synonyms
Examples of willed in a Sentence
a hard-nosed industrialist with a willed indifference to public opinion
Recent Examples on the Web
The revelation that Hammons' ancestors appear to have been denied land willed to them by a wealthy slaveholder also adds to a growing push for reparations to help make up for the wealth Black descendants of enslaved people lost, Schermerhorn said.
—
Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 26 Feb. 2024
FitzGerald is Brooks, the mission’s strong willed and determined co-pilot, while Fiennes Tiffin plays Rhodes, an idealistic astronaut on his first mission.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2023
What follows is part documentary account and part metafictional experiment, a willed mix of art and therapy that unfolds almost entirely in a series of rooms.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023
He was opinionated, strong willed and colorful in his language.
—Penelope Green, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2023
Kindness suggests that there’s a moral universe out there, in which we’re all connected to one another, whereas standup is a willed isolation: a solo performer on a stage taking on the world.
—Hilton Als, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2023
Though the family says the shack was willed to Salvatore, the agency won’t recognize the inheritance.
—Lindsay Crudele, BostonGlobe.com, 22 June 2023
By the force of his charismatic personality, Mr. Mondavi, a hard-driving visionary who established the Robert Mondavi Winery after being forced out of the family business, practically willed Napa to strive for greatness.
—Eric Asimov, New York Times, 15 June 2023
They were morbidly preoccupied by willed starvation, rags, straw beds, self-flagellation.
—Cynthia Ozick, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Apr. 2023
Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 26 Feb. 2024
FitzGerald is Brooks, the mission’s strong willed and determined co-pilot, while Fiennes Tiffin plays Rhodes, an idealistic astronaut on his first mission.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2023
What follows is part documentary account and part metafictional experiment, a willed mix of art and therapy that unfolds almost entirely in a series of rooms.
—Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023
He was opinionated, strong willed and colorful in his language.
—Penelope Green, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2023
Kindness suggests that there’s a moral universe out there, in which we’re all connected to one another, whereas standup is a willed isolation: a solo performer on a stage taking on the world.
—Hilton Als, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2023
Though the family says the shack was willed to Salvatore, the agency won’t recognize the inheritance.
—Lindsay Crudele, BostonGlobe.com, 22 June 2023
By the force of his charismatic personality, Mr. Mondavi, a hard-driving visionary who established the Robert Mondavi Winery after being forced out of the family business, practically willed Napa to strive for greatness.
—Eric Asimov, New York Times, 15 June 2023
They were morbidly preoccupied by willed starvation, rags, straw beds, self-flagellation.
—Cynthia Ozick, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Apr. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'willed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near willed
Cite this Entry
“Willed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/willed. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
willed
adjective
: having a will especially of a certain kind
strong-willed
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