wilful

• willful (American)
• wilfull (archaic)

From Middle English wilful; equivalent to will +‎ -ful.

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɪlfʊl/, /ˈwɪlfəl/
• Rhymes: -ɪlfəl
• Hyphenation: wil‧ful

wilful (comparative more wilful or wilfuller, superlative most wilful or wilfullest) (British spelling)

1. Intentional; deliberate.

   Synonyms: volitional, voluntary; see also Thesaurus:intentional

   • 2005, Irvin D. Yalom with Molyn Leszcz, The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, page 182:

     Knowingly or unknowingly, every therapist assumes that each client possesses the capacity to change through willful choice.

2. Stubborn and determined.

   Synonyms: obstinate, self-willed, headstrong

   Troponyms: spiteful, malicious

   • 1893, Edwin Caskoden, When Knighthood Was in Flower, page 110:

     Mary had taken the whim into her willful head, and Jane could not dissuade her.

   • 1995, Francine Rivers, As Sure as the Dawn, page 232:

     "He's as willful as you," Rizpah said. "If you let him hurt himself again, so help me, I'll — "

   • 2007, Roger K. Thomas, Kinshu: Autumn Brocade, translation of original by Teru Miyamoto, page 136:

     You had a pampered upbringing, and possessed enough of a willful streak that I wanted to slap you at times

• unwilful (UK), unwillful (US)
• wilfully (UK), willfully (US)
• wilfulness (UK), willfulness (US)
• wilful blindness (UK), willful blindness (US)
• wilful homicide
• wilful ignorance (UK), willful ignorance (US)