willful
Use Willful in a sentence
fəl adjective
1.
deliberate, voluntary, or intentional: The coroner ruled the death willful murder.
2.
unreasonably stubborn or headstrong; self-willed.
Also, wilful.
Related forms
will·ful·ly, adverb
will·ful·ness, noun
half-will·ful, adjective
half-will·ful·ly, adverb
half-will·ful·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. volitional. 2. intransigent; contrary, refractory, pigheaded, inflexible, obdurate, adamant. Willful, headstrong, perverse, wayward refer to one who stubbornly insists upon doing as he or she pleases. 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 girls.
1. volitional. 2. intransigent; contrary, refractory, pigheaded, inflexible, obdurate, adamant. Willful, headstrong, perverse, wayward refer to one who stubbornly insists upon doing as he or she pleases. 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 girls.
Antonyms
2. obedient, tractable.
2. obedient, tractable.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To willful
00:10
Willful
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
wilful or willful (ˈwɪlfʊl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | intent on having one's own way; headstrong or obstinate |
| 2. | intentional: wilful murder |
| willful or willful | |
| —adj | |
| 'wilfully or willful | |
| —adv | |
| 'willfully or willful | |
| —adv | |
| 'wilfulness or willful | |
| —n | |
| 'willfulness or willful | |
| —n | |
| willful (ˈwɪlfʊl) | |
| —adj | |
| the US spelling of wilful | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
The willful distortion of reality to extremes can be harmful.
But it decided that one of the three patents was invalid and that the infringement was not willful.
Indeed, the root of the penguin's comic genius-his method-is his deadpan absurdity, his willful earnestness.
The same ideological arrogance and willful ignorance that drove the invasion informed the crucial early months of the occupation.
Nearby Words
Synonyms
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