willy-nilly

adverb or adjective

wil·​ly-nil·​ly ˌwi-lē-ˈni-lē How to pronounce willy-nilly (audio)
1
: by compulsion : without choice
2
: in a haphazard or spontaneous manner

Examples of willy-nilly in a Sentence

they were in a hurry, so they just tossed everything into the room willy-nilly, leaving it to be all sorted out later
Recent Examples on the Web This is largely true of any Rolex model, and the confusion is largely the result of Rolex being an industrial juggernaut that used interchangeable parts willy-nilly without keeping records. Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2024 But Trump’s comments at the September 10 debate, which also sought to whip up anti-immigrant sentiment, gave off the impression that gender-affirming care is universally and easily accessible, so much so that it’s being given out willy-nilly, including to people in prison and detention. Adam Rhodes, Them, 18 Sep. 2024 Here, Shyamalan has similar intentions: His movie would be nothing without Hartnett’s serial killer outfoxing his pursuers, slipping past one security barrier after another, stealing access badges willy-nilly and engineering his daughter’s onstage appearance with her idol. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2024 As such, postmodern styles are dislodged from any specific historical moment, and styles from across time can be mixed together willy-nilly. Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 16 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for willy-nilly 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'willy-nilly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

alteration of will I nill I or will ye nill ye or will he nill he

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of willy-nilly was in 1608

Dictionary Entries Near willy-nilly

Cite this Entry

“Willy-nilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/willy-nilly. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

willy-nilly

adverb or adjective
wil·​ly-nil·​ly
ˌwil-ē-ˈnil-ē
1
: by force : without choice
rushed us along willy-nilly
2
: in an unpredictable manner
children running about willy–nilly
Etymology

an altered form of the phrase will I nill I or will ye nill ye; nill, an ancient negative form of will, from Old English nyllan, a combination of ne "not" and wyllan "to wish, will"

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