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. the US spelling of wilful

Other Word Forms

• willfully adverb
• willfulness noun
• half-willful adjective
• half-willfulness noun
• unwillful adjective
• unwillfulness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of willful¹

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

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.

Example Sentences

As for the long-term consequences of such a dramatic reversal — or implosion or willful destruction — in America’s relationship to the rest of the world, they are scarcely imaginable.

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It’s a tip of the hat to willful blindness, lack of critical thought and historical illiteracy.

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If it went to trial, the damages could have reached up to $150,000 per case of willful copyright infringement and could have cost the startup billions.

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He was convicted of willful cruelty to a child and was on probation in that case when he was arrested last week.

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For far too long, the United States has treated the Muslim Brotherhood with a dangerous combination of naiveté and willful blindness.

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Related Words

• conscious 
• deliberate 
• intentional 
• premeditated 
• purposeful 
• willed