Word
wilfully
Phoneticswil·ful·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈwɪɫfəɫi/
UK/wˈɪlfəli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. doing something on purpose, because you choose to do it. You use it when someone knows what they are doing and does it anyway.
adv. acting with deliberate intent rather than by accident or under pressure. Often implies stubborn or defiant persistence in that choice.
Examples
“He wilfully ignores the rules every day.”
“She wilfully leaves her phone on silent during meetings so nobody can disturb her.”
“The committee concluded that the company had wilfully withheld safety data for years, choosing profit over transparency despite repeated warnings from its own engineers.”
Examples
simple
“He wilfully ignores the rules every day.”
contextual
“She wilfully leaves her phone on silent during meetings so nobody can disturb her.”
complex
“The committee concluded that the company had wilfully withheld safety data for years, choosing profit over transparency despite repeated warnings from its own engineers.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “wilfully” in context.
Verb
01. wilfully destroy
“He was accused of wilfully destroying documents to hide fraud.”
adv + verb
02. wilfully disobey
“He was dismissed for wilfully disobeying company regulations.”
adv + verb
03. wilfully disregard
“They wilfully disregarded the judge's instructions during the trial.”
adv + verb
04. wilfully distort
“The article wilfully distorts the findings of the scientific study.”
adv + verb
05. wilfully ignore
“The company wilfully ignored safety warnings before the accident.”
adv + verb
06. wilfully mislead
“The report found they had wilfully misled investors about the risks.”
adv + verb
Adjective
07. wilfully blind
“Ministers were accused of being wilfully blind to the risks of pollution.”
adv + adj
08. wilfully defiant
“She was wilfully defiant and refused to follow the court's instructions.”
adv + adj
09. wilfully ignorant
“He remains wilfully ignorant of the scientific evidence on climate change.”
adv + adj
10. wilfully blind to the facts
“The board was wilfully blind to the facts about safety failures.”
11. wilfully disobey direct orders
“The officer was jailed for wilfully disobeying direct orders.”
12. wilfully mislead the public
“The company wilfully misled the public about the product's safety.”
Usage
Typically placed before the main verb or past participle it modifies, as in 'wilfully ignored'.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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