noun
goodwill
guud-WIHL
noun
1
A friendly, favorable attitude toward someone or something.
"The two companies signed the deal in a spirit of goodwill."
2
In accounting, the intangible value of a business beyond its physical assets, such as brand reputation or customer loyalty.
"The purchase price included a large amount of goodwill on the balance sheet."
3
A thrift or charity shop (especially capitalized, referring to the US chain).
"She found a great jacket at the Goodwill downtown."
How to Use Goodwill
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFriendly intentions and cooperation — or, in business, the reputation-based value of a company beyond its assets.
Common pairings
goodwill gesture
a gesture of goodwill
goodwill towards
Word Forms
goodwilled past tense, goodwills plural, Goodwills plural, goodwills singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “goodwill”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The two companies signed the deal in a spirit of _____.
Etymology
From Middle English good wille, built from "good" and "will"; the thrift-shop sense comes from the US charity Goodwill Industries.