Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
wilful [wil-fuh l] SynonymsExamples adjective
Related formswil·ful·ly, adverbwil·ful·ness, nounun·wil·ful, adjectiveun·wil·ful·ly, adverbun·wil·ful·ness, noun willful or wil·ful [wil-fuhl] adjective
- deliberate, voluntary, or intentional: The coroner ruled the death willful murder.
- unreasonably stubborn or headstrong; self-willed.
Origin of willful 1150–1200; Middle English; Old English wilful willing. See will2, -ful Related formswill·ful·ly, adverbwill·ful·ness, nounhalf-will·ful, adjectivehalf-will·ful·ly, adverbhalf-will·ful·ness, nounun·will·ful, adjectiveun·will·ful·ly, adverbun·will·ful·ness, nounSynonyms for willful 1. volitional. 2. intransigent; contrary, refractory, pigheaded, inflexible, obdurate, adamant. Willful, headstrong, perverse, wayward refer to one who stubbornly insists upon doing as he or she pleases. 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 girls. Antonyms for willful 2. obedient, tractable. Examples from the Web for wilful Historical Examples of wilful
That would be presumption indeed, not to say wilful self-deception.
George MacDonald
There is no halt to be looked for, no tranquillity in renunciation and wilful blindness.
Emile Zola
Of such a quality is the love of princes—vain, capricious, and wilful.
Rafael Sabatini
Suddenly she seemed to him most pathetic in her wilful folly.
Alice Brown
You preferred being obstinate and wilful toward me, I suppose?
Baroness Emmuska Orczy
British Dictionary definitions for wilful wilful US willful adjective
- intent on having one’s own way; headstrong or obstinate
- intentionalwilful murder
Derived Formswilfully or US willfully, adverbwilfulness or US willfulness, noun willful adjective
- the US spelling of wilful
Word Origin and History for wilful willful adj.
c.1200, “strong-willed,” from will (n.) + -ful. Willfully is late Old English wilfullice “of one’s own free will, voluntarily;” bad sense of “on purpose” is attested from late 14c.