willy-nilly
adverb or adjective
wil·ly-nil·ly
ˌwi-lē-ˈni-lē 
1
: by compulsion : without choice
2
: in a haphazard or spontaneous manner
Synonyms
Examples of willy-nilly in a Sentence
they were in a hurry, so they just tossed everything into the room willy-nilly, leaving it to be all sorted out later
Recent Examples on the Web
This is largely true of any Rolex model, and the confusion is largely the result of Rolex being an industrial juggernaut that used interchangeable parts willy-nilly without keeping records.
—
Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2024
But Trump’s comments at the September 10 debate, which also sought to whip up anti-immigrant sentiment, gave off the impression that gender-affirming care is universally and easily accessible, so much so that it’s being given out willy-nilly, including to people in prison and detention.
—Adam Rhodes, Them, 18 Sep. 2024
Here, Shyamalan has similar intentions: His movie would be nothing without Hartnett’s serial killer outfoxing his pursuers, slipping past one security barrier after another, stealing access badges willy-nilly and engineering his daughter’s onstage appearance with her idol.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2024
As such, postmodern styles are dislodged from any specific historical moment, and styles from across time can be mixed together willy-nilly.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 16 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for willy-nilly 
Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2024
But Trump’s comments at the September 10 debate, which also sought to whip up anti-immigrant sentiment, gave off the impression that gender-affirming care is universally and easily accessible, so much so that it’s being given out willy-nilly, including to people in prison and detention.
—Adam Rhodes, Them, 18 Sep. 2024
Here, Shyamalan has similar intentions: His movie would be nothing without Hartnett’s serial killer outfoxing his pursuers, slipping past one security barrier after another, stealing access badges willy-nilly and engineering his daughter’s onstage appearance with her idol.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2024
As such, postmodern styles are dislodged from any specific historical moment, and styles from across time can be mixed together willy-nilly.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 16 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for willy-nilly
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'willy-nilly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to willy-nilly
Dictionary Entries Near willy-nilly
Cite this Entry
“Willy-nilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/willy-nilly. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share