Willful

Willful is an adjective used to describe actions, states, or attitudes that are deliberate and intentional, rather than accidental or due to oversight. It can apply to a person who acts with firm purpose or obstinacy, or to conduct that is knowingly pursued in defiance of a duty or norm. In everyday language, willful often conveys a sense of stubborn or self-willed behavior, sometimes with a moral judgment implied.

Etymology traces willful to will, meaning volition or desire, with the suffix -ful indicating “full of” or “characterized by.” The term has long circulated in both general usage and legal contexts, where its meaning can be more particular and nuanced.

In legal usage, willful typically signals intentionality or knowledge of illegality. Phrases such as willful misconduct, willful violation, or willful disregard describe acts performed with purpose, or with conscious disregard for applicable laws or duties. Some jurisdictions require a showing of intent or knowledge to establish a willful act, while others emphasize a deliberate or purposeful course of conduct. The doctrine of willful blindness is a related concept, where a person intentionally avoids learning facts that would make legality or wrongdoing clear, thereby satisfying a form of purposeful intent.

Distinguishing willful from merely intentional or negligent can be subtle. Willful generally connotes a stronger sense of volition, purpose, or bad faith, beyond simple awareness of consequences.

See also: willfulness, willful blindness, mens rea, deliberate conduct, intentional act, willful negligence.