WordGarden.iowilfulness
C2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /wˈɪlfəlnəs/
Meanings
Noun
stubborn determination to do what one wants
the deliberate or intentional character of an act, especially in legal use
Beyond the definition
Wilfulness describes a strong tendency to do what you want, even when other people tell you not to or expect something else. It is more than simple stubbornness because it usually suggests a conscious choice to go your own way. A toddler insisting on the red cup and refusing the blue one is showing wilfulness. In many situations, the word sounds slightly negative because it suggests resistance, disobedience, or refusal to listen.
At the same time, it can sometimes have a more positive side. A person may be described this way if they stay firm, follow their own judgment, and do not give up easily. In stories and everyday life, it often points to someone whose strong will creates both progress and trouble. A little of it can seem bold or independent; too much can seem difficult and frustrating.
Wilfulness is closely related to stubbornness, but it usually adds a sense of intention. It describes someone who does not simply resist by habit, but who actively chooses to follow their own wishes, even when this leads to conflict or goes against advice, rules, or reason. A wilful child, for example, may refuse to eat vegetables not just out of mood or discomfort, but because they are set on doing the opposite of what they are told.
The word often carries a negative tone. It can suggest disobedience, self-centeredness, or an unwillingness to listen. When people speak of wilfulness in parenting, politics, or personal relationships, they often mean that someone is being difficult on purpose. In that sense, it points to behaviour that is driven by personal desire and kept in place by a strong inner push.
Still, the meaning is not always entirely negative. In some contexts, wilfulness can overlap with independence, courage, and determination. A wilful artist may ignore accepted rules in order to make something original. A wilful reformer may keep pushing forward despite criticism and obstacles. In these cases, the same quality that causes friction can also produce change.
Because of that, the word depends heavily on context. It often suggests a person whose strong will is both impressive and troublesome. The idea at its core is not just having a strong will, but using it in a deliberate way, especially when other people would prefer obedience, compromise, or restraint.
Examples
- 1
Personal conflict
Her wilfulness often turned small disagreements into long arguments.
- 2
School behavior
The teacher saw his refusal to apologize as wilfulness, not embarrassment.
- Patternsee X as Y
consider X to be Y
- 3
Stubborn choice
He ignored the warning out of sheer wilfulness.
- Phraseout of sheer wilfulness
only because of a stubborn desire to do it
See also
Similar
- stubbornness
- obstinacy
- self-will
Shades of meaning
- intransigence
- contrariness
- perversity
Contrast
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- sheer wilfulness
- childish wilfulness
- out of wilfulness
Word family
- wilful
- wilfully
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- wilfulnessnoun