goodwill
noun
good·will
ˌgu̇d-ˈwil 
1
a
: a kindly feeling of approval and support : benevolent interest or concern
people of goodwill
b(1)
: the favor or advantage that a business has acquired especially through its brands and its good reputation
(2)
: the value of projected earnings increases of a business especially as part of its purchase price
(3)
: the excess of the purchase price of a company over its book value which represents the value of goodwill as an intangible asset for accounting purposes
2
a
: cheerful consent
accepted the terms of the contract with goodwill
b
: willing effort
Synonyms
Examples of goodwill in a Sentence
She has goodwill toward all her coworkers.
They allowed him to keep the extra money as a gesture of goodwill.
Recent Examples on the Web
The company acknowledges the significant carrying amount of goodwill recognized, which could impact its ability to continue as a going concern.
—
Quartz Bot, Quartz, 20 Nov. 2024
But amid this deluge of goodwill and generosity pouring into western North Carolina, something sinister was also brewing: misinformation and outright false accusations about federal relief efforts, particularly about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
—Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024
One of her passions, according to her bio, was the Seeds of Peace, a program designed to bring together children in conflicted countries, such as Arab and Israeli teenagers, to help foster feelings of goodwill and teach conflict resolution.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 15 Nov. 2024
If your new partner has a reputation for fair dealings and has been forthcoming about their goals and expectations, making the first gesture of goodwill can help establish a foundation of trust.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for goodwill 
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Quartz Bot, Quartz, 20 Nov. 2024
But amid this deluge of goodwill and generosity pouring into western North Carolina, something sinister was also brewing: misinformation and outright false accusations about federal relief efforts, particularly about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
—Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024
One of her passions, according to her bio, was the Seeds of Peace, a program designed to bring together children in conflicted countries, such as Arab and Israeli teenagers, to help foster feelings of goodwill and teach conflict resolution.
—Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 15 Nov. 2024
If your new partner has a reputation for fair dealings and has been forthcoming about their goals and expectations, making the first gesture of goodwill can help establish a foundation of trust.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for goodwill
Dictionary Entries Near goodwill
Cite this Entry
“Goodwill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goodwill. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
goodwill
noun
good·will
-ˈwil
1
: kindly feeling : benevolence
2
: the value of the trade a business has built up
3
a
: cheerful consent
b
: willing effort
Legal Definition
goodwill
noun
good·will
ˈgu̇d-ˌwil
1
: an intangible asset that is made up of the favor or prestige which a business has acquired beyond the mere value of what it sells due to the personality or experience of those conducting it, their reputation for skill or dependability, the business's location, or any other circumstance incidental to the business that tends to draw and retain customers
2
a
: the value of projected increases in the earnings of a business especially as part of its purchase price
b
: the excess of the purchase price of a business above the value assigned for tax purposes to its other net assets
Note: The Internal Revenue Code requires the purchaser of a business to allocate the purchase price among the various types of assets. Frequently the purchase price is greater than the sum of the values of the individual assets. The excess is labeled goodwill. Because of its indefinite life, goodwill is not amortizable as an asset. The purchaser will therefore usually try to keep the allocation to goodwill as small as possible.
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