Willful Meaning and Sentence Examples | Willful vs Wilful

Willful means deliberately done or stubbornly determined to have your own way. It is an adjective and often expresses disapproval. Wilful is the usual British spelling; willful is the usual American spelling.

Example: His willful refusal to follow the agreed plan frustrated the team. Here, the refusal is deliberate, not accidental.

Pronunciation: WILL-fuhl, /ˈwɪlfəl/. Stress the first syllable; the ending is unstressed.

Sentence examples · Two meanings · Willful or wilful? · Word forms · Quiz

Willful in a sentence: examples with meanings

• The referee described the player’s repeated delay as willful. The referee believed the delay was intentional.
• Her willful disregard of the instructions ruined the model. She chose to ignore the instructions.
• The novel’s willful heroine refuses every suggestion from her advisers. She insists on doing things her own way.
• The manager saw the omission as a mistake, not a willful act. The manager did not think it had been done deliberately.
• He willfully left the gate open after being asked to close it. The adverb describes how he acted: intentionally.

The two main meanings of willful

1. Intentional rather than accidental

A willful act is done on purpose. Expressions such as willful refusal and willful disregard commonly criticise a choice. Calling an act willful makes a claim about intention; an unfortunate result alone does not show that it was deliberate.

2. Stubbornly insisting on your own way

A willful person resists advice or direction and insists on doing what they want. This is close to headstrong. It usually carries a more critical tone than simply describing someone as determined.

Is willful a compliment? Not usually. If you mean to praise steady effort, determined or persistent is often clearer. “Her determined practice helped her improve” praises effort; “her willful refusal to listen” criticises resistance.

Willful, wilful or willfull?

Willful and wilful are accepted spellings of the same adjective. Use willful in American English and wilful in British English, or follow the style used in the rest of your writing. Willfull, with two final l’s, is not the standard spelling.

Willfully and willfulness

• Willful is an adjective: “It was a willful choice.”
• Willfully is an adverb: “He willfully ignored the reminder.” It can mean intentionally or in a stubbornly self-willed way.
• Willfulness is a noun: “The narrator criticises the character’s willfulness.” It names the quality.

British spelling also uses wilfully and wilfulness. Keep the spelling consistent within your piece of writing.

Willful versus willing, determined and accidental

Willing means ready or happy to do something: “She is willing to help.” It does not mean stubborn. Determined describes a firm intention and can express approval. Accidental is the opposite of willful when willful means intentional; it is not the opposite of every use of the word.

Practise willful: three quick questions

Choose your answer before opening the explanation.

Question 1

“The omission was willful.” Does this mean it was deliberate or accidental?

Question 2

Which sentence clearly praises effort: “Her determined practice paid off” or “Her willful refusal to listen caused delays”?

Question 3

Choose the adverb: “He ___ ignored the reminder.” Willful, willfully or willfulness?

Keep learning

Compare intransigent, explore rock the boat, or review how adjectives work.

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References: Merriam-Webster: willful and Cambridge: willful. Examples and practice questions are original to English Skill Studio.