wantonly

[won-tn-lee]

adverb

1. willfully and thoughtlessly; recklessly.

   We wantonly destroy the ecosystem that gives us life when we take out more than it can afford to give.

2. without regard for what is right, just, or humane; maliciously and unjustifiably.

   Those who wantonly and cruelly beat, abuse, or ill-treat these animals will be punished.

3. in a sensually loose or unrestrained way.

   A single day lived virtuously is worth more than a hundred years lived wantonly and without discipline.

4. in an extravagant or excessively luxurious way.

   Nations cannot continue to spend wantonly, hoping for a bailout that may not come.

5. in a prolific or uncontrolled way.

   A swarm of Asian carp are advancing up the Illinois River, breeding wantonly and gorging on plankton.

Word History and Origins

Origin of wantonly¹

wanton ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

When Chernin’s Leo raises his voice in Jewish prayer before he is hanged, the memory of a man whose life was wantonly destroyed is momentarily restored.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But their fury was too easily co-opted by the few who want to wantonly destroy and used the cover of protest to do so.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

At its unveiling, Mr Downey said the new version had been designed to be "as solid as possible, out of a durable material which cannot be wantonly destroyed".

Read more on BBC

“The indictment here not only alleges shocking crimes of violence, but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and wantonly, where any innocent member of the public could have been hurt or killed.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And it would benefit us, too, to stop wantonly crushing cetaceans with our boats.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• blatantly 
• brazenly 
• candidly 
• flagrantly www.thesaurus.com
• forthrightly www.thesaurus.com
• fully 
• honestly 
• plainly www.thesaurus.com
• publicly 
• readily 
• simply 
• unabashedly 
• unashamedly www.thesaurus.com
• willingly