English Reference
noun

readiness

n.
US /ˈɹɛdinəs/ UK /ɹˈɛdɪnəs/ readi·ness UK spelling readinesses

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the state of being completely prepared for a task or situation.

    the state or quality of being fully prepared or available for immediate use or action.

    Simple

    The army was in a state of readiness for the upcoming mission.

    In context

    The emergency services maintained a high level of readiness throughout the storm, ensuring they could respond to any incident within minutes.

    Usage

    Often followed by the preposition 'for'.

    unpreparedness
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the quality of being willing or eager to do something.

    a psychological state of being willing, inclined, or eager to perform a specific action.

    Simple

    The teacher was impressed by the student's readiness to learn new things.

    In context

    The diplomat's readiness to negotiate even under intense pressure was seen as a positive sign for the peace talks.

    Usage

    Usually followed by a 'to' infinitive.

However, Teeselink said he was sceptical that a three-week programme would be enough to make teens “AI-ready”, because AI readiness required continuous learning and updating of skills.

The Guardian· 13 Aug 2026

So you can guess that my answer to this question about school readiness involves books.

The Conversation· 14 Aug 2026

From ready + -ness.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated