Word
Forms
Infinitive
will
Past
would
Past participle
-
Definition
n. the mental power to control your own actions and make decisions. It can also mean a legal document that says who should get your money and things after you die.
n. the faculty by which a person decides on and initiates action; also, a legal document specifying the distribution of an individual's assets after death.
Examples
“She has a strong will to succeed in her new job.”
“The lawyer met with the family to read the grandfather's will and explain how the property would be divided.”
“Philosophers have long debated whether humans possess true free will or if our choices are merely the result of biological and environmental conditioning.”
Examples
simple
“She has a strong will to succeed in her new job.”
contextual
“The lawyer met with the family to read the grandfather's will and explain how the property would be divided.”
complex
“Philosophers have long debated whether humans possess true free will or if our choices are merely the result of biological and environmental conditioning.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “will” in context.
Verb
01. break will
“The harsh conditions were designed to break the prisoners' will.”
verb + noun
02. contest will
“His siblings decided to contest the will in court.”
verb + noun
03. impose will
“The dictator tried to impose his will on the entire population.”
verb + noun
04. make will
“You should make a will to protect your children's future.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. iron will
“Her iron will helped her survive the difficult journey across the mountains.”
adj + noun
06. last will
“The lawyer read the grandfather's last will to the gathered family.”
adj + noun
07. living will
“He signed a living will to ensure his medical wishes were respected.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. clash of wills
“The meeting turned into a clash of wills between the two managers.”
noun + prep + noun
09. strength of will
“Success in this sport requires immense strength of will.”
noun + prep + noun
10. against someone's will
“They were forced to leave their homes against their will.”
11. at will
“The software allows users to change the layout at will.”
12. of one's own free will
“She confessed to the crime of her own free will.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to mental determination or the faculty of choice; countable when referring to the legal document.
Confusables
Will is the standard marker for future intent and prediction, while shall is restricted to formal offers, suggestions, or legal obligations.
RememberWill for the future; Shall for a formal offer.
Etymology
Clipping of William or, less often, other given names beginning with Wil-, such as Wilfred or Willard.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Grammar
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/will
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0