— willfully , adv. — willfulness , n.
/wil"feuhl/ , adj.
1. deliberate, voluntary, or intentional: The coroner ruled the death willful murder.
2. unreasonably stubborn or headstrong; self-willed.
Also, wilful .
[ 1150-1200; ME; OE wilful willing. See WILL 2 , -FUL ]
Syn. 1. volitional. 2. intransigent; contrary, refractory, pigheaded, inflexible, obdurate, adamant. WILLFUL, HEADSTRONG, PERVERSE, WAYWARD refer to one who stubbornly insists upon doing as he or she pleases. WILLFUL suggests a stubborn persistence in doing what one wishes, esp. in opposition to those whose wishes or commands ought to be respected or obeyed: that willful child who disregarded his parents' advice. One who is HEADSTRONG is often foolishly, and sometimes violently, self-willed: reckless and headstrong youths.
The PERVERSE person is unreasonably or obstinately intractable or contrary, often with the express intention of being disagreeable: perverse out of sheer spite. WAYWARD in this sense has the connotation of rash wrongheadedness that gets one into trouble: a reform school for wayward girls.
Ant. 2. obedient, tractable.