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

We come to realize that our rhythm is dictated by the materials themselves, by what they will respond to rather than by our willful demands.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling’s “broken windows” theory posited that crime is more than a willful act—it’s the product of a cultural atmosphere.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The carer responsible had falsified records to suggest checks had been carried out and was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years, for willful neglect in February 2023.

Read more on BBC

After a certain point, a willful, proud ignorance masquerading as superior wisdom becomes a social menace and a stigma of poor citizenship.

Read more on Salon

The executor’s actions are bad manners, at best, or a willful abandoning of her fiduciary duty, at worst.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

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