English vocabulary · C1
Willy-nilly
/ˌwɪl.iˈnɪl.i/ · adv.
Willy-nilly means doing things with no plan or order. You put things where they fall, not where they should go. The room looks messy at the end.
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Example sentences
- Boxes sat willy-nilly in the hall.
- He tossed clothes willy-nilly into drawers.
Word origin and roots
from Old English
- will — want (from Old English)
- nill — not want (from Old English)
Synonyms and nuances
- RANDOM — with no plan (No Set Plan)
- CARELESS — not done with care (Not Done With Care)
- UNPLANNED — not planned (Not Planned)
Words with the same root
will — want
- willing — ready to do it
- unwilling — not ready to do it
- willful — doing what you want
Lesson notes
Willy-nilly means doing things with no plan or order. You put things where they fall, not where they should go. The room looks messy at the end.
Related: random, careless, unplanned. Use willy-nilly when things happen with no plan.
Boxes sat willy-nilly in the hall. He tossed clothes willy-nilly into drawers.
From Old English. Will means want. Nill means not want. Want or not want: willy-nilly.