Synonyms of willy-nilly

willy-nilly

adverb

ˌwi-lē-ˈni-lē 

as in randomly

without definite aim, direction, rule, or method

they were in a hurry, so they just tossed everything into the room willy-nilly, leaving it to be all sorted out later

Synonyms & Similar Words

• randomly
• haphazardly
• at random
• aimlessly
• haphazard
• casually
• anyway
• erratically
• irregularly
• indiscriminately
• arbitrarily
• carelessly
• anyhow
• informally
• desultorily
• capriciously
• helter-skelter
• hit or miss
• promiscuously
• accidentally
• inadvertently
• anywise
• whimsically
• unwittingly
• unintentionally
• unconsciously
• offhandedly
• unpredictably
• fortuitously
• intermittently
• fitfully
• offhand
• disjointedly
• disconnectedly
• higgledy-piggledy
• spottily
• topsy-turvy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• systematically
• methodically
• carefully
• orderly
• formally
• deliberately
• gingerly
• intentionally
• meticulously
• purposely
• purposefully
• punctiliously

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of willy-nilly

But don't just toss them in the fridge willy-nilly. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025

Many therapists are already willy-nilly entering data about clients and patients into off-the-shelf publicly available LLMs. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025

If two divorced women can attend a party, then women will start divorcing willy-nilly. —Alice Burton, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025

More than one judge on the Federal Circuit seemed deeply incredulous that Trump, or any President, could, willy-nilly, call anything that moves a national emergency, and then go unchallenged. —Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 6 Aug. 2025