adj
wanton
WON-tuhn
Wanton (adj) means Deliberately careless or cruel, showing no regard for consequences or morality. Example: “The report criticized the company's wanton disregard for worker safety.”
adj
1
Deliberately careless or cruel, showing no regard for consequences or morality.
"The report criticized the company's wanton disregard for worker safety."
2
(dated) Sexually unrestrained or promiscuous.
"The novel scandalized readers with its portrayal of a wanton heroine."
How to use wanton
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRecklessly disregarding right and wrong, or (older sense) sexually unrestrained.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "wonton," the Chinese dumpling — they sound alike but are unrelated.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
wanton destruction
wanton disregard
wanton cruelty
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Word forms
- Plural
- wantons
- Third person singular
- wantons
- Past tense
- wantoned
- Comparative
- more wanton, wantoner
- Superlative
- most wanton, wantonest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The report criticized the company's _____ disregard for worker safety.
Etymology
From Middle English wantoun, built from wan- ("un-") plus a word meaning "trained" or "disciplined" — literally "undisciplined."
Synonyms
View more →
anarchic
anarchical
bratty
chaotic
difficult
dionysiac
dionysian
disciplineless
fractious
governless
gung ho
indisciplined
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for wanton
See all rhymes for 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.
