If you describe actions or attitudes as wilful, you are critical of them because they are done or expressed deliberately, especially with the intention of causing someone harm.
[disapproval]
Wilful neglect of our manufacturing industry has caused this problem.
He admitted wilful misconduct in public office by disclosing a report to a journalist.
Synonyms: intentional, willed, intended, conscious More Synonyms of wilful
wilfullygraded adverb [ADVERB with verb, ADVERB adjective]
He seems to have wilfully misunderstood.
2. adjective
If you describe someone as wilful, you mean that they are determined to do what they want to do, even if it is not sensible.
Francesca was a lively child, quite wilful and demanding.
wilfulnessuncountable noun
The new foster parents couldn't cope with her wilfulness.
More Synonyms of wilful
wilful in British English
or US willful (ˈwɪlfʊl)
adjective
1.
intent on having one's own way; headstrong or obstinate
2.
intentional
wilful murder
Derived forms
wilfully (ˈwilfully) or US willfully (ˈwillfully)
adverb
wilfulness (ˈwilfulness) or US willfulness (ˈwillfulness)
noun
wilful in American English
(ˈwɪlfəl)
adjective
alt. sp. of
willful
Examples of 'wilful' in a sentence
wilful
He finds writing and directing arduous and resents financiers for what he sees as their wilful ignorance.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The almost wilful negligence of that era is a thing of the past.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But so is the wilful refusal to explain a single motive or frame.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
And the wilful ignorance and arrogance is potentially catastrophic.
The Sun (2013)
To rave about this performance is tantamount to wilful blindness.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This has much to do with shopping and a little with wilful disregard of regular practice.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He also denies wilful misconduct in a public office.
The Sun (2008)
Yesterday she pleaded guilty to wilful neglect.
The Sun (2011)
He was greatly assisted by a wilful blindness on the part of the coalition.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Much more of this wilful disregard for issues of presentation might see him surrender public sympathy.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They talk with barely concealed fury at what they say is wilful neglect of the area.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Because wilful blindness to facts is rarely good policy.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Her parents admitted wilful neglect likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury.
The Sun (2010)
It is wilful blindness that lies behind the often sluggish reaction of the medical establishment to new research.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There's also an almost wilful attempt to mislead.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Which is why we've spent years building up a communal wilful ignorance.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
I think this has been fragmented with wilful disregard.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
We have failed not because it was impossible but because of our own almost wilful blind stupidity in not following the policies that were necessary.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It smacks of wilful ignorance.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
If it transpires that there was indeed some fraud or misconduct or wilful misleading of people or abuse of office then, yes.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But I can honestly say that this was not done with wilful disregard of the policies and procedures that are in place.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But common to all of them is a notable - almost wilful - ignorance about handling money day to day.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
As a last resort the liable person might be committed to prison if guilty of wilful refusal or culpable neglect, and might also be disqualified from driving.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The murder, and the arrest of two men suspected of it, brings to an abrupt end this wilful refusal to engage with reality.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In other languages
wilful
British English: wilful ADJECTIVE
If you describe actions or attitudes as wilful, you are critical of them because they are done or expressed deliberately, especially with the intention of causing someone harm.
Wilful neglect of our manufacturing industry has caused this problem.
American English: willful
Brazilian Portuguese: premeditado
Chinese: 恣意的
European Spanish: deliberado
French: délibéré
German: vorsätzlich
Italian: deliberato
Japanese: 故意の
Korean: 고의적인
European Portuguese: premeditado
Latin American Spanish: deliberado
1 (adjective)
Definition
deliberate and intentional
Wilful neglect of the environment has caused this problem.
Synonyms
intentional
I can't blame him. It wasn't intentional.
willed
intended
conscious
Make a conscious effort to relax your muscles.
voluntary
a voluntary act undertaken in full knowledge of the consequences
deliberate
The attack was deliberate and unprovoked.
purposeful
volitional
Opposites
unconscious
,
accidental
,
involuntary
,
unintentional
,
unwitting
,
unplanned
,
uncalculated
2 (adjective)
Definition
determined to do things in one's own way
a selfish and wilful congressman
Synonyms
obstinate
He is obstinate and determined and will not give up.
dogged
through sheer dogged determination
determined
persistent
He phoned again this morning – he's very persistent.
adamant
She is adamant that she will not resign.
stubborn
He is a stubborn character used to getting his own way.
perverse
You're just being perverse.
uncompromising
She is considered a tough and uncompromising negotiator.
intractable
How can we reduce the influence of intractable opponents?
inflexible
They viewed him as stubborn, inflexible and dogmatic.
unyielding
his unyielding attitude on this subject
intransigent
The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent.
headstrong
He's very headstrong, but he's a good man underneath.
obdurate
The administration have been obdurate defenders of the status quo.
stiff-necked
self-willed
He was very independent and self-willed.
refractory
refractory priests who tried to side with the king
pig-headed
In her pig-headed way, she insisted that she was right.
bull-headed
mulish
He had a flushed, mulish look on his heavy face.
froward (archaic)
Opposites
yielding
,
compromising
,
flexible
,
obedient
,
docile
,
good-natured
,
pliant
,
tractable
,
biddable
,
complaisant
Additional synonyms
in the sense of adamant
Definition
unshakable in determination or purpose
She is adamant that she will not resign.
Synonyms
determined,
firm,
fixed,
stiff,
rigid,
set,
relentless,
stubborn,
uncompromising,
insistent,
resolute,
inflexible,
unrelenting,
inexorable,
unyielding,
intransigent,
immovable,
unbending,
obdurate,
unshakable
in the sense of conscious
Definition
deliberate or intentional
Make a conscious effort to relax your muscles.
Synonyms
deliberate,
knowing,
reasoning,
studied,
responsible,
calculated,
rational,
reflective,
self-conscious,
intentional,
wilful,
premeditated
in the sense of deliberate
Definition
carefully thought out in advance
The attack was deliberate and unprovoked.
Synonyms
intentional,
meant,
planned,
considered,
studied,
designed,
intended,
conscious,
calculated,
thoughtful,
wilful,
purposeful,
premeditated,
prearranged,
done on purpose
Nearby words of
wilful
wilderness
wildlife
wile
wilful
will
willing
willingly
Synonyms of 'wilful'
wilful
Explore 'wilful' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of dogged
Definition
obstinately determined
through sheer dogged determination
Synonyms
determined,
steady,
persistent,
stubborn,
firm,
staunch,
persevering,
resolute,
single-minded,
tenacious,
steadfast,
unyielding,
obstinate,
indefatigable,
immovable,
stiff-necked,
unshakable,
unflagging,
pertinacious
in the sense of headstrong
Definition
determined to do something in one's own way and ignoring the advice of others
He's very headstrong, but he's a good man underneath.
Synonyms
stubborn,
wilful,
obstinate,
contrary,
perverse,
unruly,
intractable,
stiff-necked,
ungovernable,
self-willed,
pig-headed,
mulish,
froward (archaic)
in the sense of inflexible
Definition
unwilling to be persuaded
They viewed him as stubborn, inflexible and dogmatic.
Synonyms
obstinate,
strict,
relentless,
firm,
fixed,
iron,
adamant,
rigorous,
stubborn,
stringent,
uncompromising,
resolute,
steely,
intractable,
inexorable,
implacable,
steadfast,
hard and fast,
unyielding,
immutable,
immovable,
unbending,
obdurate,
stiff-necked,
dyed-in-the-wool,
unchangeable,
brassbound,
set in your ways
in the sense of intractable
Definition
(of a person) difficult to influence or direct
How can we reduce the influence of intractable opponents?
Synonyms
difficult,
contrary,
awkward,
wild,
stubborn,
perverse,
wayward,
unruly,
uncontrollable,
wilful,
incurable,
fractious,
unyielding,
obstinate,
intransigent,
headstrong,
unmanageable,
undisciplined,
cantankerous,
unbending,
obdurate,
uncooperative,
stiff-necked,
ungovernable,
self-willed,
refractory,
obstreperous,
pig-headed,
bull-headed
in the sense of intransigent
Definition
refusing to change one's attitude
The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent.
Synonyms
uncompromising,
intractable,
tough,
stubborn,
hardline,
tenacious,
unyielding,
obstinate,
immovable,
unbending,
obdurate,
stiff-necked,
inflexible,
unbudgeable
in the sense of mulish
Definition
stubborn
He had a flushed, mulish look on his heavy face.
Synonyms
stubborn,
difficult,
rigid,
unreasonable,
perverse,
intractable,
inflexible,
wilful,
recalcitrant,
obstinate,
intransigent,
headstrong,
stiff-necked,
self-willed,
refractory,
pig-headed,
bull-headed,
cross-grained
in the sense of obdurate
Definition
not to be persuaded
The administration have been obdurate defenders of the status quo.
Synonyms
obstinate,
firm,
dogged,
determined,
fixed,
iron,
persistent,
relentless,
adamant,
stubborn,
intractable,
inflexible,
wilful,
unrelenting,
tenacious,
inexorable,
implacable,
steadfast,
unyielding,
intransigent,
immovable,
headstrong,
strong-minded,
unbending,
stiff-necked,
unshakeable or unshakable,
refractory,
pig-headed,
mulish,
contumacious (literary),
pertinacious,
indurate (rare),
proof against persuasion,
unimpressible
in the sense of persistent
Definition
showing persistence
He phoned again this morning – he's very persistent.
Synonyms
determined,
dogged,
fixed,
steady,
enduring,
stubborn,
persevering,
resolute,
tireless,
tenacious,
steadfast,
obstinate,
indefatigable,
immovable,
assiduous,
obdurate,
stiff-necked,
unflagging,
pertinacious
in the sense of perverse
Definition
wayward or contrary
You're just being perverse.
Synonyms
stubborn,
contrary,
unreasonable,
dogged,
contradictory,
troublesome,
rebellious,
wayward,
delinquent,
intractable,
wilful,
unyielding,
obstinate,
intransigent,
headstrong,
unmanageable,
cussed (informal),
obdurate,
stiff-necked,
disobedient,
wrong-headed,
refractory,
pig-headed,
miscreant,
mulish,
cross-grained,
contumacious
in the sense of pig-headed
Definition
stupidly stubborn
In her pig-headed way, she insisted that she was right.
Synonyms
stubborn,
contrary,
perverse,
obstinate,
stupid,
dense,
inflexible,
wilful,
unyielding,
stiff-necked,
wrong-headed,
self-willed,
bull-headed,
mulish,
cross-grained,
froward (archaic)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of refractory
Definition
stubborn or rebellious
refractory priests who tried to side with the king
Synonyms
unmanageable,
difficult,
stubborn,
contentious,
perverse,
unruly,
uncontrollable,
intractable,
wilful,
recalcitrant,
obstinate,
headstrong,
cantankerous,
uncooperative,
stiff-necked,
disobedient,
disputatious,
mulish,
contumacious (literary)
in the sense of self-willed
Definition
stubbornly determined to have one's own way, esp. at the expense of others
He was very independent and self-willed.
Synonyms
stubborn,
wilful,
headstrong,
intractable,
opinionated,
obstinate,
cussed (informal),
stiff-necked,
ungovernable,
refractory,
pig-headed,
stubborn as a mule
in the sense of stubborn
Definition
persistent and determined
He is a stubborn character used to getting his own way.
Synonyms
obstinate,
dogged,
inflexible,
fixed,
persistent,
intractable,
wilful,
tenacious,
recalcitrant,
unyielding,
headstrong,
unmanageable,
unbending,
obdurate,
stiff-necked,
unshakeable,
self-willed,
refractory,
pig-headed,
bull-headed,
mulish,
cross-grained,
contumacious
in the sense of uncompromising
Definition
not prepared to compromise
She is considered a tough and uncompromising negotiator.
Synonyms
inflexible,
strict,
rigid,
decided,
firm,
tough,
stubborn,
hardline,
die-hard,
inexorable,
steadfast,
unyielding,
obstinate,
intransigent,
unbending,
obdurate,
stiff-necked
in the sense of unyielding
Definition
remaining firm and determined
his unyielding attitude on this subject
Synonyms
firm,
tough,
rigid,
hardline,
uncompromising,
determined,
relentless,
adamant,
stubborn,
staunch,
resolute,
intractable,
inflexible,
inexorable,
steadfast,
obstinate,
unwavering,
immovable,
unbending,
obdurate,
stiff-necked
in the sense of voluntary
Definition
done or undertaken by free choice
a voluntary act undertaken in full knowledge of the consequences