willy-nilly
Americanadverb
-
in a disorganized or unplanned manner; sloppily.
-
whether one wishes to or not; willingly or unwillingly.
He'll have to do it willy-nilly.
adjective
-
shilly-shallying; vacillating.
-
disorganized, unplanned; sloppy.
willy-nilly work.
adverb
-
whether desired or not
-
haphazardly
adjective
-
occurring or taking place whether desired or not
-
occurring haphazardly
Etymology
Origin of willy-nilly
Explanation
Something that happens willy-nilly is random or haphazard. If you put your clothes away willy-nilly, it'll take forever to find two matching socks. This adverb is perfect for describing something done without any planning, like when the neighborhood kids grab instruments and parade willy-nilly up and down streets and through people's backyards. Willy-nilly comes from the obsolete phrase will I, nill I, or "I am willing, I am unwilling." The original definition, "whether one likes it or not," gradually evolved into today's meaning. Along the way, variations on willy-nilly included "nilly-willy," "willing, nilling," and "William nilliam."
Vocabulary lists containing willy-nilly
"To Build a Fire," Vocabulary from the short story
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Woodsong
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Byrd and Igloo: A Polar Adventure
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The reasons for this jobs stagnation aren’t clear, though one culprit might be the uncertainty created by up-down, willy-nilly tariff policy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026
“But at the same time, they can’t just pass the costs on to consumers willy-nilly without thinking about the impact on competition.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2025
She told him she did not treat the allegation "willy-nilly".
From BBC ● May 14, 2025
He could just start shutting all sorts of things down willy-nilly, which would be incredibly damaging.
From Slate ● Mar. 18, 2025
So she pulled her own apron off, though it wouldn’t be big enough to just toss the bones in willy-nilly.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
