wantonly
1
8.2
- adverb
- /ˈwɒntənli/
- Formal
:
despiadadamente
- How could you be so nice in so many ways, and then do something so wantonly cruel?
- wantonly kill
- wantonly slaughtered
- wantonly killed people
Examples
-
When it comes to prescribing punishment to the perpetrator, a life taken after its owner puts him- or herself in harm's way—starting a bar fight, for example—doesn't carry the same judicial weight as an innocent life wantonly taken.
Academic text (2006) -
To remember that you wantonly looted and burned the property of the church?
-
Must be a great blow to you... to see your beautiful church so wantonly destroyed.
-
I only found you a month ago when you started wantonly destroying government property.
-
They are also victims of the predators who who wantonly prey on their neighbors.
-
In such situations, innocent members of staff are molested and school property is brazenly and wantonly destroyed.
Academic text (2007) -
The general tone of the report makes it sound as if the Israel Defence Force set out wantonly to begin a new massacre of the innocents.
Blog text (21) -
The United States proclaimed principles of peaceful change for a new era, but those principles have been wantonly disregarded.
Academic text (1994) -
The last occasion on which we met, you wantonly caused me injury and dishonor in such a manner and to such an extent as to which no gentleman can willingly suffer... without demanding satisfaction, however much time intervenes.
-
It was wantonly cruel of him to leave his dog abandoned in the cold.
Synonyms
34
5.7
In a cruel and violent way
22
6.4
In a way that shows no pity
18
6.6
To act without pity and treat people very harshly
16
3.0
In a way that hurts people on purpose
10
7.1
In a way that wants to hurt someone or cause trouble
7
7.7
In a way that shows no care for other people's feelings
5
6.3
In an evil and cruel way that harms other people
3
8.4
In a cruel way that shows pleasure when other people are hurt
2
8.9
In a way that is very unfair or too harsh
2
7.0
To do something to hurt or upset someone on purpose
2
6.3
In a cruel way that often uses hurtful words or actions
1
6.6
In a way that shows strong dislike and anger
1
8.4
In a calm, cruel way without feeling sorry
1
7.0
In a cruel way that shows unkind feelings and hurts others
1
8.6
In a way that shows a wish to hurt others
1
7.6
In a way that shows no pity or mercy
1
8.1
In a way that tries to hurt someone because you want revenge
1
6.8
In a way that shows a strong wish to punish someone for something they did
Doing something to hurt someone who hurt you
In a mean way that tries to hurt someone
Antonyms
How Cruel
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word wantonly comes from wanton, originally meaning 'not controlled' or 'without restraint'. That's why wantonly can describe actions done on purpose with no care for rules or people, meaning deliberate and cruel behaviour.