Meaning of will in English

will

modal verb

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/wɪl/ us

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/wɪl/

will modal verb (FUTURE)

(also 'll)

used to talk about what is going to happen in the future, especially things that you are certain about or things that are planned:

Clare will be five years old next month.

The train leaves at 8:58, so we'll be in Scotland by lunchtime.

I'll see him tomorrow./I'll be seeing him tomorrow.

Will Susie be there?

It won't be easy to find another secretary.

There'll be trouble when she finds out.

More examples

The doctor will call next week to check on your progress.
The choir will be performing the Hallelujah Chorus at the concert.
The photos will be ready for collection on Tuesday afternoon.
Representatives of the member states will be meeting next week.
All our computer equipment will be replaced in the near future.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

In the future & soon

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will modal verb (ABLE/WILLING)

(also 'll)

used to talk about what someone or something is able or willing to do:

I'll give you a lift.

Ask Gabriela if she'll take them.

I've asked her but she won't come.

The car won't start.

This lasagne will feed six people.

More examples

The photocopier will collate the documents for you.
Your father will come for you at 4 o'clock.
In the event of a strike, the army will take over responsibility for firefighting.
The government will only say it is not in the general interest to reveal any more information.
Oh, for crying out loud, why won't you listen to me!

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Ready and willing

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will modal verb (REQUEST)

used to ask someone to do something:

Will you give me her address?

Will you give that to Tony when you see him, please?

(also 'll)

used as a polite way of inviting someone to do something, or of offering someone something:

Will you join us for a cup of coffee, Evie?

Will you come in for a while?

You'll have some cake, won't you, Charlie?

More examples

Will you give me a hand with this box?
When you've finished that book will you lend it to me?
Will you pass me the salt please?
Will you give me a call when you get this message?
Will you play that song again please?

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Making appeals & requests

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Polite expressions

will modal verb (IF)

(also 'll)

used in conditional sentences with 'if':

If he's late again, I'll be very angry.

I'll wait with Christopher if his mother isn't here when you go.

More examples

If you see Alan on your wanderings, will you tell him he's wanted in the office?
If we back down on this issue, our reputation will be compromised.
If the two sides conflict with each other again, it will be disastrous for party unity.
If a plane window breaks the cabin will rapidly decompress.
If we continue to deplete the earth's natural resources, we will cause serious damage to the environment.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

In the future & soon

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will modal verb (LIKELY)

(also 'll)

used to refer to what is likely:

That'll be Scott at the door.

That'll be his mother with him.

As you all will know, election day is next week.

More examples

You will have heard about the plans for next week.
You will probably have already made plans for the weekend.
That'll be Tony on the phone.
As you will have guessed by now, David and I are engaged.
You will be aware that things haven't been going well.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Possible and probable

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will modal verb (ORDER)

(also 'll)

used when angry to tell someone to do something:

Will you stop being such a pain!

You'll go upstairs and you'll go straight to bed like your father told you!

More examples

You will do as you are told!
Will you shut up!
Will you stop doing that and pay attention!
You'll finish your dinner if you want any dessert.
You'll tidy your room before you go out.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Giving orders & commands

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will modal verb (ALWAYS)

(also 'll)

used when referring to something that always or usually happens:

Accidents will happen.

Fruit will keep longer in the fridge.

The product with the better-known brand name will always sell better.

She's 85 now, but she will insist on doing all her own housework.

More examples

My children will always come before my career.
I'm afraid physics will always be a closed book to me.
People will file lawsuits at the drop of a hat these days.
Tight jeans will only emphasize any extra weight that you are carrying.
An empty bottle will float.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Always & never

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Grammar

Be going to or will?

Will is often used in a similar way to be going to. Will is used when we are talking about something with absolute certainty. Be going to is used when we want to emphasise our decision or the evidence in the present: …

Will and shall: form

Will and shall are modal verbs. They are used with the base form of the main verb (They will go; I shall ask her). Shall is only used for future time reference with I and we, and is more formal than will. …

We use will for all persons, but we often use shall with I and we. Will (’ll) is generally less formal than shall when used with I and we: …

Will: typical error

…

will

noun

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/wɪl/ us

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/wɪl/

will noun (MENTAL POWER)

B2 [ C or U ]

the mental power used to control and direct your thoughts and actions, or a determination to do something, despite any difficulties or opposition:

From an early age she had a very strong will.

[ + to infinitive ] After six months in hospital she began to lose the will to live (= the desire and determination to stay alive).

C1 [ S ]

what someone wants to happen:

It was God's will.

Against their will (= although they did not want to), they were forced to hand over the money.

The government has failed to impose its will upon regional communities (= to make them do as it wants).

See also

free will

More examples

A good leader must have a strong will.
"The will of man is by his reason swayed."
Her will turned out to be stronger than his.
He succeeded by sheer strength of will.
She was always trying to impose her will on other people.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Strength of will and determination

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Goals and purposes

will noun (DOCUMENT)

C2 [ C ]

an official statement of what a person has decided should be done with their money and property after their death:

Have you made a will yet?

She left me some money in her will.

More examples

He was struck out from his father's will.
He left me his racehorses in his will.
When she remarried, she made a new will.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Inheriting & bequeathing

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Idioms

at will
where there's a will there's a way
with a will

will

verb

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/wɪl/ us

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/wɪl/

will verb (MAKE HAPPEN)

[ + obj + to infinitive ]

If you will something to happen, you try to make it happen by the power of your thoughts:

She willed herself to remember his name.

[ I or T ] formal

to want something:

Stay or go, as you will.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Wanting things

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will verb (LEAVE)

[ T ]

to arrange to give money or property to others after your death

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Inheriting & bequeathing

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(Definition of will from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

will | American Dictionary

will

modal verb

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/wɪl, wəl/

present tense will

will modal verb (FUTURE)

used only with the base forms of verbs when referring to the future:

Claire will be five years old next month.

Note:

The negative contraction is won’t.

will modal verb (INTENTION)

past tense would us/wʊd, wəd/

used to express your intentions:

This time I will learn from my mistakes.

Note:

The negative contraction is won’t.

will modal verb (REQUEST)

past tense would us/wʊd, wəd/

used to ask or tell someone to do something:

Will you give me her address, please?

You will do it because I said so!

past tense would us/wʊd, wəd/

Will can be used as a polite way of inviting someone to do something, or of offering someone something:

Will you come in?

Note:

The negative contraction is won’t.

will modal verb (CAN)

past tense would us/wʊd, wəd/

used to refer to what is possible; to be able to do something:

This car will seat six people comfortably.

Note:

The negative contraction is won’t.

will modal verb (ACCEPTANCE)

past tense would us/wʊd, wəd/

used to say that behavior which usually happens is acceptable because it is expected:

Boys will be boys.

Idioms

at will

will have

will

noun

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/wɪl/

will noun (MENTAL POWER)

[ C/U ]

the mental power used to control and direct your thoughts and actions, or a determination to do something, despite any difficulties or opposition:

[ C ] He’ll need an iron will to stick to that diet.

[ U ] After six months in the hospital, she lost the will to live (= the desire and determination to stay alive).

[ C/U ]

Someone’s will is also what the person wants to happen:

[ U ] I went there against my will.

will noun (DEATH PLAN)

[ C ]

your official statement of what should be done with your money and property after you die:

Your will isn’t valid until you sign it.

will

verb [ T ]

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/wɪl/

will verb [T] (MENTAL POWER)

to try to make something happen by using your thoughts:

She willed herself to remain optimistic.

will verb [T] (DEATH PLAN)

to officially arrange for someone to receive part or all of your money or property after your death:

She willed the house to her brother.

(Definition of will from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

will | Business English

will

noun [ C ]

LAW

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/wɪl/ us

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a legal document in which someone states what should be done with their money and property when they die:

leave/change/make a will About 75% of adults surveyed have not made a will.

His parents died without leaving a will.

Compare

living will

will

verb [ T ]

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strong /wɪl/ uk

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weak /wəl, əl/ us

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to state in a will who should get your money and property when you die:

will sth to sb Property willed to her by her grandparents remains in their names until the estates are settled.

will sb sth She had willed her new husband all her property.

(Definition of will from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of will

will

Because the criminal's punishment is a recognition of his freely willed action, he cannot object that punishing him is morally wrong.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Thus, if u (the universe) at time t would not have existed if a divine being had not willed it, that volition was causally necessary.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

These examples are from the Cambridge English Corpus and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

More examples Fewer examples

Following the intellect, if you like, is the will's function.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

His call to transcend boundaries reified the wills of visionary men and justified their violence through recourse to their moral intentions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Incapacities could be willed or unwilled, but the quality of the individual response was an intrinsic element.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The names of the curates are found in the wills proved in the 1530s.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Living wills themselves are also under attack, both for what they lack and for what they try to accomplish.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Asked whether he or she consciously willed getting up for the soda, the person would likely say yes.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

On the other hand (as the pun drags on), however, the patient does not experience these actions as consciously willed.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Many wills are formulated in the same way, with similar words and locutions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Table 8 in the text considers 1,359 wills that appeared by the end of 1913.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

While contemporary wills suggest that the parish quickly faded from parishioners' devotional plans and priorities, yet the churchwardens' accounts convey a contrary sense of resilience.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Their goal is to causally bind their future selves using nothing but their wills.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

To do this, both wills and accounts must be pressed into service.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The confusion, in a politically-heated context, was a perfect recipe for the clash of wills concerning constitutional meaning.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

See all examples of will

Translations of will

in Chinese (Traditional)

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in Arabic

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in Italian

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in Spanish

將來, 將，將要, 能／願意…

（文法）未来を示す助動詞, ～（する）つもりだ, （疑問文で）～してくれませんか…

...acek/ecak, ...er/acak/ecek, ...mısınız/misiniz…

verbe au futur de l’indicatif, aller + verbe à l’infinitif, vouloir.…

s’utilitza per a parlar del futur amb certesa, s’utilitza per a expressar el que algú vol o pot fer, s’utilitza per a demanar a algú que faci alguna cosa…

سَوْف, يُريد, هَلْ؟…

vůle, přání, závěť…

vilje, testamente, vil…

kemauan, keinginan, surat wasiat…

การตัดสินใจ, ความต้องการ, พินัยกรรม…

ý chí, quyết tâm, di chúc…

wyraża przyszłość, chcieć, zechcieć…

kebebasan bertindak, kemahuan, wasiat…

der Wille, Letzter Wille, das Testament…

ville, skulle, komme til å…

(미래를 예측하여)-일 것이다, (의지의 의미로)-할 것이다, 부탁을 할 때 쓰임…

usado para falar sobre o que vai acontecer no futuro, usado para falar sobre o que alguém ou algo está disposto a fazer ou é capaz de fazer, usado para pedir algo a alguém…

将来, 将，将要, 能／愿意…

usato per esprimere il futuro, volere, usato per chiedere a qualcuno di fare qualcosa…

вспом. гл. для образования формы будущего времени, намереваться, собираться…

se usa para hablar del futuro de forma certera, se usa para expresar lo que alguien quiere o puede hacer, se usa para pedir a alguien que haga algo…

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What is the pronunciation of will?

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wilful

wilful misconduct

wilfully

wilfulness

will

will have idiom

will never hear the end of it idiom

will not take no for an answer idiom

will-o'-the-wisp

Meaning of will in English

will modal verb (FUTURE)

will modal verb (ABLE/WILLING)

will modal verb (REQUEST)

will modal verb (IF)

will modal verb (LIKELY)

will modal verb (ORDER)

will modal verb (ALWAYS)

Grammar

will noun (MENTAL POWER)

will noun (DOCUMENT)

Idioms

will verb (MAKE HAPPEN)

will verb (LEAVE)

will | American Dictionary

will modal verb (FUTURE)

Note:

will modal verb (INTENTION)

Note:

will modal verb (REQUEST)

Note:

will modal verb (CAN)

Note:

will modal verb (ACCEPTANCE)

Idioms

will noun (MENTAL POWER)

will noun (DEATH PLAN)

will verb [T] (MENTAL POWER)

will verb [T] (DEATH PLAN)

will | Business English

Examples of will

Translations of will

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