readiness
C1Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
The state of being fully prepared or willing to do something.
The quality of being immediately available, prompt, or easily activated. Can also denote a mental or emotional willingness.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun describing a state or condition. Implies a proactive or positive state of preparation. Often used in institutional, military, or organizational contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Slight preference for 'at the ready' in military contexts in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral to positive in both. In policy/defence contexts, it carries serious, operational connotations.
Frequency
Comparatively high frequency in both varieties, especially in formal, business, and academic registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
readiness for + noun/gerund (readiness for action)readiness to + infinitive (readiness to deploy)in readiness + preposition (in readiness for)demonstrate/show/express + readinessVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at the ready”
- “in readiness”
- “spring into action”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a project phase, system status, or team's preparation for a launch or change.
Academic
Used in psychology (learning readiness), education (school readiness), and political science (military readiness).
Everyday
Used for personal states of being ready for an event, trip, or decision.
Technical
In IT/engineering, denotes a system's operational status (e.g., 'service readiness').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The troops were readied for deployment.
- She readied herself for the interview.
American English
- The team readied the product for launch.
- He readied his arguments for the debate.
adverb
British English
- The parts were readily available at the shop.
- He readily agreed to help.
American English
- The information was readily accessible online.
- She readily admitted her mistake.
adjective
British English
- The ready queue for the attraction was very long.
- Keep a ready supply of batteries.
American English
- She had a ready answer for every question.
- The software is ready for download.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Her readiness to help was appreciated.
- The children showed readiness for the school trip.
- The company expressed its readiness to negotiate a new contract.
- We must ensure our readiness for the coming storm.
- The audit confirmed the system's operational readiness for the data migration.
- His mental readiness to face the challenge impressed the coaches.
- The battalion maintained a constant state of combat readiness throughout the exercise.
- The political will and institutional readiness for reform were found to be lacking.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
READI-NESS: Think of a runner at the start line, READy and full of nervous eagerness (-NESS).
Conceptual Metaphor
READINESS IS A STATE OF FULL CHARGE (like a battery). READINESS IS A PHYSICAL STANCE (like a sprinter in blocks).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from 'готовность' for emotional willingness; use 'willingness' instead. 'Readiness' implies more active preparation.
- Do not confuse with 'reading readiness' (готовность к чтению), which is a specific educational term.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'readiness' for simple future intention (e.g., 'My readiness to go to the cinema' - use 'plan' or 'intention').
- Misspelling as 'readness' or 'readyness'.
- Using with inappropriate prepositions (e.g., 'readiness of doing' instead of 'readiness for doing' or 'readiness to do').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'readiness' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Willingness' is about a mental consent or desire to do something. 'Readiness' includes that but adds the dimension of being prepared or equipped to act. You can be willing but not ready (lacking preparation).
Typically, no. It is a neutral-to-positive word describing a state of preparation. A negative state would be described by its antonyms like 'unpreparedness' or 'reluctance'.
In formal and technical contexts, 'operational readiness' is extremely common. In general contexts, 'readiness to' followed by a verb (e.g., 'readiness to help') is very frequent.
No, the standard prepositional phrase is 'in readiness' (e.g., 'The supplies were held in readiness'). 'In the readiness' is not a standard construction.
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