readiness

noun

read·​i·​ness ˈre-dē-nəs 

: the quality or state of being ready: such as

a

: a state of preparation

As Apollo approached readiness, a new system for validating flight hardware came into use.

—William Hines

… conditions that prevented all regiments being brought to battle readiness simultaneously …

—Graham A. Cosmas

Pym presented himself at the entrance to the school drive in readiness for Mr. Cudlove's arrival.

—John le Carré

b

: prompt willingness

Kostunica has already expressed his readiness to talk with independence-minded leaders in Montenegro …

—Joshua Hammer et al.

Civil War reportage owed its successes also to the readiness of the military to accept photography as a new visual tool …

—Naomi Rosenblum

c

: ease, facility

The introduction was followed up on his side by a happy readiness of conversation …

—Jane Austen

Examples of readiness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the danger comes when experimentation is mistaken for production readiness. — Bob Ackerman, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Modern stealth fighters depend on ground-level operational support to maintain peak combat readiness. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026

There is an important difference between human preparation and spiritual readiness. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026

The spokesperson stressed that the agency will still require Head Start programs to provide support for mental and physical health, family and disability services and school readiness preparation, as is mandated by federal law. — Maia Nehme, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for readiness

• steadiness
• unsteadiness