as in intentionally
with full awareness of what one is doing
willfully chose to risk pneumonia by jumping into a freezing lake on a dare
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of willfully
The victorious Jazz may have actually bemoaned the result, having willfully sat a perfectly healthy Keyonte George late in the game in order to add another loss and better odds in the draft lottery.
—
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
After an investigation, officials said the 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats to willfully cause great bodily harm.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
But, ultimately, the movie has the form of mismatched pieces stitched together and brought to life more willfully than coherently.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
The perpetrators were not children, but knowledgeable adults who willfully chose to harass public servants.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
Carradine plays Lewis as an outcast who’s completely aware of the way others perceive and reject him, yet chooses to be relentlessly, willfully, almost foolishly optimistic.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Feb. 2026
Andrew Freeburg, 45, is charged in Carver County of one felony count of failing to file an individual income tax return, one count of willfully failing to pay income tax, four counts of failing fraudulent income tax returns and five counts of wrongfully obtaining assistance.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
In other words, the Alabama court would determine whether Campbell had willfully and maliciously violated the charging orders, and that determination would then guide the bankruptcy court as to whether Campbell's debt to Radiance Capital would be excepted from discharge.
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This is yet another area in which politicians willfully overlook an opportunity to show true community leadership and bring people together with a hard look at the legitimate grievances on both sides.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 21 Jan. 2026
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
After an investigation, officials said the 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats to willfully cause great bodily harm.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
But, ultimately, the movie has the form of mismatched pieces stitched together and brought to life more willfully than coherently.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
The perpetrators were not children, but knowledgeable adults who willfully chose to harass public servants.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
Carradine plays Lewis as an outcast who’s completely aware of the way others perceive and reject him, yet chooses to be relentlessly, willfully, almost foolishly optimistic.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Feb. 2026
Andrew Freeburg, 45, is charged in Carver County of one felony count of failing to file an individual income tax return, one count of willfully failing to pay income tax, four counts of failing fraudulent income tax returns and five counts of wrongfully obtaining assistance.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
In other words, the Alabama court would determine whether Campbell had willfully and maliciously violated the charging orders, and that determination would then guide the bankruptcy court as to whether Campbell's debt to Radiance Capital would be excepted from discharge.
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This is yet another area in which politicians willfully overlook an opportunity to show true community leadership and bring people together with a hard look at the legitimate grievances on both sides.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willfully
Adverb
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His practice can be intentionally repetitive, reflecting the monotony of cancer treatment, and inspires viewers to meditate with the movement.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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The variety of these designs show Radić to be an architect who defies categorization — and one who intentionally eschews a signature style.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Hungary's nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of deliberately holding up oil supplies -- claims that Zelenskyy denies.—
LORNE COOK THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
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The restrictions have disrupted the daily lives of millions of residents and hit businesses that rely on mobile internet, leading Muscovites to revert to cash — and some are questioning whether their government is doing it deliberately.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Willfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willfully. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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