willy-nilly

[ wil-ee-nil-ee ]

/ ˈwɪl iˈnɪl i /

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See synonyms for willy-nilly on Thesaurus.com

adverb

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.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of willy-nilly

1600–10; from the phrase will ye, nill ye.See will¹, nill

Words nearby willy-nilly

Wills, Willstätter, will to power, willy, willyard, willy-nilly, willywacks, willy wagtail, willy-willy, Wilma, Wilmer

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use willy-nilly in a sentence

These crafters of personal brands are the new Brooklyn Willy Lomans with only themselves to sell.
How to Get Laid in Brooklyn a la Adelle Waldman’s Nifty Novel of Manners|Tom LeClair|July 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The film, silent and seven minutes in length, featured cabaret star Louise Willy performing a sultry striptease.
How Hollywood’s Most Realistic Sex Scenes Were Made: ‘Don’t Look Now’ to ‘Nymphomaniac’|Marlow Stern|March 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the climax of the play, Willy Loman ruefully tells his two sons that he was fired that day from his job.
From Katrina to the Clink: Ex New Orleans Mayor Heads to Prison|Jason Berry|February 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As Steve Martin said on Twitter, “If you missed him as Willy Loman, you missed a Willy Loman for all time.”
Philip Seymour Hoffman: An Actor First|Tim Teeman|February 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But it was his Willy Loman that theater audiences of recent years will remember.
Philip Seymour Hoffman: An Actor First|Tim Teeman|February 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You will remember that when you came to our assistance outside Meerut she was determined to take us, willy-nilly, to Delhi.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Little Willy Gay looked at that picture very carefully, and soon made practical use of it, as I will tell you.
The Nursery, July 1873, Vol. XIV. No. 1|Various
So much, at least, we had gained—we were no longer being carried willy-nilly out of our way.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
When Willy was two years old, he lived in a red farmhouse with a yard in front of it.
The Nursery, August 1873, Vol. XIV. No. 2|Various
One bright morning Willy's mamma put on his straw hat, and sent him out in the yard to play.
The Nursery, August 1873, Vol. XIV. No. 2|Various

British Dictionary definitions for willy-nilly

willy-nilly

/ (ˌwɪlɪˈnɪlɪ) /

adverb

whether desired or not

haphazardly

adjective

occurring or taking place whether desired or not

occurring haphazardly

Word Origin for willy-nilly

Old English wile hē, nyle hē, literally: will he or will he not; nyle, from ne not + willan to will 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

willy-nilly

Origin of willy-nilly

Words nearby willy-nilly

Words related to willy-nilly

How to use willy-nilly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for willy-nilly

Word Origin for willy-nilly