wanton
35 synonyms and 9 antonyms for wanton, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Deliberately careless or cruel, showing no regard for consequences or morality.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
anarchic
anarchical
bratty
dionysiac
dionysian
disciplineless
fractious
governless
gung ho
indisciplined
irrepressible
lawless
loose-handed
rantipole
reinless
stanchless
unbridled
unchecked
uncontrolled
uncontrollable
undisciplined
ungovernable
ungoverned
uninhibited
unreined
unrestrained
untoward
unruly
unvanquished
out of control
out of joint
Antonyms
How to use wanton
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
wanton destruction
wanton disregard
wanton cruelty
Etymology
From Middle English wantoun, built from wan- ("un-") plus a word meaning "trained" or "disciplined" — literally "undisciplined."
Full origin of wanton →Frequently asked questions
What does “wanton” mean?
The word “wanton” means deliberately careless or cruel, showing no regard for consequences or morality.
How do you pronounce “wanton”?
“Wanton” is pronounced WON-tuhn (/ˈwɑntən/ in IPA).
How do you use “wanton” in a sentence?
Here is “wanton” used in a sentence: “The report criticized the company's wanton disregard for worker safety.”
What is another word for “wanton”?
Words with a similar meaning to “wanton” include anarchic, anarchical, bratty, chaotic, difficult and dionysiac.
What is the opposite of “wanton”?
The opposite of “wanton” — its antonyms — are apollonian, constrained, disciplined, inhibited and repressible.
What part of speech is “wanton”?
“Wanton” is an adjective.
Where does the word “wanton” come from?
The word “wanton” comes from Middle English. From Middle English wantoun, built from wan- ("un-") plus a word meaning "trained" or "disciplined" — literally "undisciplined.".
How many meanings does “wanton” have?
“Wanton” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: deliberately careless or cruel, showing no regard for consequences or morality.
