willfully
Americanadverb
-
deliberately or intentionally; on purpose.
Any seller who knowingly or willfully certifies false statements is subject to fine and imprisonment.
-
in an unreasonably stubborn or headstrong way.
The student disrupted school activities and willfully defied the authority of teachers, administrators, and other school employees.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of willfully
First recorded before 1000; equivalent to willful ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
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.
“They willfully participated in his scams. They deserved to lose every penny,” another user wrote.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
Alliance sought a contempt order contending that the city was willfully obfuscating to cover up inadequate efforts to live up to its settlement.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
Throughout, he seems almost willfully incurious about why people hunt.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
As more flights return, “the potential for airliners being targeted either willfully or by error will increase dramatically,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026
My narrative, while willfully episodic in character—no comprehensive coverage of all events is claimed—follows a chronological line, with one significant exception.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
