# wilfully

/ˈwɪɫfəɫi/ (US) · /wˈɪlfəli/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wilfully
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

doing something on purpose, because you choose to do it. You use it when someone knows what they are doing and does it anyway.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Typically placed before the main verb or past participle it modifies, as in 'wilfully ignored'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.