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

If Brett Hankison’s behavior was wanton endangerment to people in neighboring apartments, then it should have been wanton endangerment in Breonna Taylor’s apartment too.

From Vox

Now his people were wantonly punished for resisting the expulsion; for seeking to reverse it.

From The Daily Beast

It was not to be a love-letter; simply an appeal for forgiveness to a friend whom she had wantonly injured.

From Project Gutenberg

I see cavaliers, sworn defenders of Holy Church; your hands are red with Christian blood wantonly shed.

From Project Gutenberg

First silence your own dark soul—silence reproach for blood spilled wantonly, for tears your deeds have made to flow.

From Project Gutenberg

The "shedu" was a destructive bull which might slay man wantonly or as a protector of temples.

From Project Gutenberg

I once asked an old Omaha what was the feeling of Indians when they saw the white men wantonly killing buffaloes.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• blatantly
• brazenly
• candidly
• flagrantly
• forthrightly
• fully
• honestly
• plainly
• publicly
• readily
• simply
• unabashedly
• unashamedly
• willingly