willy-nilly
adverb or adjective
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Definition of willy-nilly
1 : by compulsion : without choice
2 : in a haphazard or spontaneous manner
Synonyms & Antonyms for willy-nilly
Synonyms
aimlessly, anyhow, anyway, anywise, desultorily, erratically, haphazard, haphazardly, helter-skelter, hit or miss, irregularly, randomly
Antonyms
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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
'Bated', 'Shod', 'Boon', and 7 Other...
'Bated', 'Shod', 'Boon', and 7 Other Fossil Words
When old words show up in modern English
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Time Traveler for willy-nilly
The first known use of willy-nilly was in 1608
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More Definitions for willy-nilly
willy-nilly
adverb
English Language Learners Definition of willy-nilly
: in a careless and unplanned way
: in a way that does not allow any choices or planning
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