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adv

wantonly

WON-tuhn-lee

Wantonly (adv) means In a recklessly careless or malicious manner. Example: “The soldiers wantonly destroyed the village's crops.”

adv
1
In a recklessly careless or malicious manner.
"The soldiers wantonly destroyed the village's crops."

How to use wantonly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDoing something recklessly or cruelly, without any regard for the consequences.

Common pairings
wantonly destroy wantonly cruel

Word forms

more wantonly comparative, most wantonly superlative

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The soldiers _____ destroyed the village's crops.

Etymology

From Middle English wantounly, wantounliche, equivalent to wanton + -ly.

Origin: Middle English

licentiously promiscuously

Related words

Rhymes for wantonly

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Frequently asked questions

What does “wantonly” mean?

The word “wantonly” means in a recklessly careless or malicious manner. In plain terms, doing something recklessly or cruelly, without any regard for the consequences.

How do you pronounce “wantonly”?

“Wantonly” is pronounced WON-tuhn-lee (/ˈwɒntənli/ in IPA).

How do you use “wantonly” in a sentence?

Here is “wantonly” used in a sentence: “The soldiers wantonly destroyed the village's crops.”

What part of speech is “wantonly”?

“Wantonly” is an adverb.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial · etymology from Wiktionary