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View synonyms for willful

willful

or wil·ful

[ wil-fuhl ]

adjective

  1. deliberate, voluntary, or intentional:

    The coroner ruled the death willful murder.

    Synonyms: volitional;

  2. unreasonably stubborn or headstrong; self-willed.

    Synonyms: adamant, obdurate, inflexible, pigheaded, refractory, contrary, intransigent

    Antonyms: tractable, obedient



willful

/ ˈwɪlfʊl /

adjective

  1. See wilful
    the US spelling of wilful


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Other Words From

  • will·ful·ly adverb
  • will·ful·ness noun
  • half-will·ful adjective
  • half-will·ful·ness noun
  • un·will·ful adjective
  • un·will·ful·ness noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of willful1

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; Old English wilful “willing”; will 2, -ful

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Synonym Study

Willful, headstrong, perverse, wayward refer to one who stubbornly insists upon doing as they please. Willful suggests a stubborn persistence in doing what one wishes, especially in opposition to those whose wishes or commands ought to be respected or obeyed: that willful child who disregarded his parents' advice. One who is headstrong is often foolishly, and sometimes violently, self-willed: reckless and headstrong youths. The perverse person is unreasonably or obstinately intractable or contrary, often with the express intention of being disagreeable: perverse out of sheer spite. Wayward in this sense has the connotation of rash wrongheadedness that gets one into trouble: a reform school for wayward teens.

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Example Sentences

The movement was a willful, angry child, though, exploding away from “art” and from the canvas in particular.

Cribs, unlike seatbelts, are built for the purpose of willful prevention.

The pendulum has swung too far in the other direction from physician paternalism towards willful ignorance by patients.

At times it can seem too proud of its virtuous noncommerciality; its slowness can seem shallow, its artiness willful.

Is the study of society undertaken with a willful ignorance of moral philosophy, theology, civics, and Econ 101.

A sweet and blessed sleep enveloped her like the cloak of a kind mother wrapping the willful child who has much suffered and wept.

She was high-spirited as a girl, a little willful and impulsive, but with the best heart in the world.

Marian undoubtedly wheedled her father a good deal in the manner of handsome and willful daughters.

He was selfish, willful, and obstinate at two-and-thirty as he had been at ten years of age.

He was a willful man, with a good deal of granite in his make-up.

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