wilfully or not

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "wilfully or not" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action may have been done intentionally or unintentionally. Example: "The consequences of his actions, wilfully or not, will be addressed in the meeting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Wilfully or not, many Conservatives therefore construed Mr Blair's Bournemouth attack on "forces of conservatism" as an attack on them.

The Economist

Yet, if anything, flip-flopping on feed-in tariffs and scaldingly negative remarks from the chancellor, George Osborne, and others have, wilfully or not, undermined a whole UK industrial sector just as it could be growing, creating jobs and being a world leader.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

A fair assessment of whether or not she wilfully broke the rules will come to light soon.

The Guardian - Opinion

4) Sexually active persons with an unclear intention, who wilfully abstain from contraception and leave it to chance/nature whether conception will occur or not (capacity, behaviour, intention unclear).

BMC Medical Ethics

On Saturday Adam Schiff, the ranking member of the House committee on intelligence, said in a statement that though he could not "comment on or confirm any intelligence briefings … one would also have to be wilfully blind not to see that these Russian actions were uniformly damaging to Secretary Clinton and helpful to Donald Trump".

The Guardian

In the commercial sector, I sometimes think that critics wilfully choose not to understand the challenges we have".

Independent

For Goya's portraits can be bizarre, unflattering, wilfully awkward, not to say bewildering.

The Guardian - Arts

Much of the criticism directed at the commission in recent days has not only been flagrantly self-serving but also wilfully misleading, not least the charge that the commission is run by editors in their own interests.

The Guardian - Opinion

The temptation is to tut and ask why they didn't play in the first half, say, the way they did in the second, as if they had wilfully chosen not to.

The Guardian - Sport

In response to the wilfully stultifying onslaught of drab Brexit commentary, we should strive to see the human suffering that will result from a referendum that is going to have an outcome, whether we participate in it or not.

Vice

People seem either to be wilfully ignoring or just not realising that the incompetence of humourless suits nasally droning about biting or using the word n***** is, when it reaches the point of farce, just very funny.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "wilfully or not" to acknowledge that the intent behind an action might be unclear or irrelevant to its consequences. This adds nuance and avoids accusatory language when the actor's state of mind is uncertain.

Common error

While grammatically sound, "wilfully or not" can sometimes sound redundant, especially in formal contexts. Opt for more concise alternatives like "intentionally or unintentionally" or even restructuring the sentence to emphasize the outcome rather than the intent. Avoid using it repetitively within the same piece of writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "wilfully or not" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate that an action's consequences apply regardless of whether it was intentional. As Ludwig indicates, the phrase suggests that the intention behind an action is either unclear or unimportant.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "wilfully or not" is a grammatically correct phrase used to indicate that an action's effects are relevant regardless of whether it was intentional. As indicated by Ludwig, it allows writers to acknowledge ambiguity or uncertainty about the actor's state of mind, which also contributes to neutral tone. Although this phrase can be used in a wide variety of contexts, the few examples of usage show it appears most often in News & Media. While useful, writers should be mindful of potential redundancy and explore alternatives like "intentionally or unintentionally" for greater precision, especially in formal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intentionally or unintentionally

This alternative directly replaces "wilfully" with "intentionally" and "not" with "unintentionally", offering a straightforward synonym.

deliberately or accidentally

This phrase substitutes "wilfully" with "deliberately" and "not" with "accidentally", focusing on the presence or absence of conscious intent.

on purpose or unintentionally

A common and direct way to express whether an action was intended, using everyday language.

knowingly or unknowingly

This alternative emphasizes awareness, contrasting actions performed with or without knowledge of their nature or consequences.

consciously or unconsciously

This phrase highlights the level of awareness during the action, differentiating between deliberate and subconscious behavior.

wittingly or unwittingly

This alternative uses more formal vocabulary, contrasting actions done with full awareness against those done without realization.

purposely or inadvertently

This option contrasts actions done with a specific aim against those occurring without planning or intention.

by design or by chance

This alternative uses a more figurative approach, contrasting planned actions with those resulting from happenstance.

voluntarily or involuntarily

This option focuses on the will behind the action, differentiating between actions chosen freely and those compelled by external forces.

predetermined or spontaneously

This contrasts actions planned in advance with those arising impulsively.

FAQs

How can I use "wilfully or not" in a sentence?

You can use "wilfully or not" to indicate that the intention behind an action is uncertain or irrelevant. For example, "The damage, "wilfully or not", has already been done."

What can I say instead of "wilfully or not"?

You can use alternatives like "intentionally or unintentionally", "deliberately or accidentally", or "knowingly or unknowingly" depending on the specific context.

Is "wilfully or not" formal or informal?

"Wilfully or not" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, in very formal writing, consider alternatives like "intentionally or unintentionally" for a more precise and professional tone.

What is the difference between "wilfully or not" and "regardless of intent"?

"Wilfully or not" directly addresses the presence or absence of intention, while "regardless of intent" explicitly disregards intention as a relevant factor. The former suggests uncertainty about intent; the latter emphasizes its irrelevance.