willful mistake

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "willful mistake" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an error that is made intentionally or with a conscious disregard for the truth. Example: "The accountant's willful mistake in the financial report led to significant consequences for the company."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"But forgiveness assumes that one has made a mistake; no matter how much I regret with a passion not being able to sing at the Met on this occasion, catching the flu was certainly not a willful mistake I made".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

So it is truly remarkable that W. is repeating the willful mistakes of '92, given that the loss was so searing.

The New York Times

Though Mr. Bernanke vowed that the Fed would never repeat its dreadful mistakes of willful inaction during the Depression, Mr. Krugman accused him last year of doing just that, being intimidated into an "abdication" by irate Republicans.

The New York Times

"These guys could be the worst cops in the world, but if this was just a terrible mistake instead of willful misconduct, then it's not a federal crime".

The New York Times

His definition suggests a deliberate, willful transgression, not an honest mistake.

Huffington Post

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon will today, once again, stand before the authors of Dodd-Frank and attempt to make the case for why a $2 billion trading loss was a stupid mistake, not a willful breach of at least the intent of the law.

Huffington Post

Is Wills's blindness willful?

The New York Times

Or, people will have a willful ignorance to it.

Forbes

Fred Abrahams, a special adviser for Human Rights Watch, said the report was consistent with the alliance's refusal to acknowledge clear mistakes, and revealed a "willful decision not to look at civilian casualties".

The New York Times

First elected in 1933, he was hailed as the city's savior during an economic crisis, and then he gradually became more willful and blind to his own mistakes.

The New York Times

He should not be courted and paid millions of dollars as if his willful murdering of dogs was a simple mistake.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "willful mistake" when you want to emphasize that an error was not accidental but made with a degree of awareness or intent, even if the full consequences weren't foreseen.

Common error

Avoid using "willful mistake" when describing simple accidents or unintentional errors. The term implies a degree of conscious decision-making, so choose other phrases like "honest mistake" or "unintentional error" when the error was genuinely accidental.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "willful mistake" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "willful" modifies the noun "mistake". The adjective adds a layer of meaning, specifying that the mistake was not accidental but involved a degree of intention or awareness. Ludwig confirms this usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "willful mistake" is a phrase used to describe an error made with some level of conscious awareness or intention. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct. While its frequency is rare, the examples illustrate its usage in various contexts, particularly in News & Media. When using this phrase, it's important to ensure that the context implies some degree of intent, differentiating it from a simple accident. If the error was genuinely accidental, consider using alternatives such as "honest mistake" or "unintentional error". Remember that the adjective "willful" adds a nuance of deliberate action to the mistake.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

deliberate error

Focuses on the intentionality of the error, implying a conscious decision to make a mistake.

intentional blunder

Highlights both the deliberate nature and the clumsiness of the mistake.

conscious oversight

Emphasizes the awareness of the action, yet still resulting in a mistake.

purposeful fault

Stresses that the error was not accidental, but rather done with a specific aim.

calculated misjudgment

Indicates that the mistake was the result of flawed planning or assessment.

knowing infraction

Implies a breach of rules or standards done with full awareness.

premeditated slip

Suggests that the error was thought out in advance, but still resulted in a mistake.

voluntary transgression

Highlights the willingly nature of the error, implying a breach of some moral or legal standard.

designed imperfection

Indicates that the mistake was created intentionally, possibly for artistic or strategic purposes.

orchestrated failure

Suggests a controlled and intentional plan that resulted in an undesirable outcome or error.

FAQs

What does "willful mistake" mean?

A "willful mistake" describes an error that's committed with a degree of intention or conscious disregard, implying that the person was aware of the potential for error but proceeded anyway.

How to use "willful mistake" in a sentence?

You can use "willful mistake" to describe situations where someone makes an error with some level of awareness or intent. For example: "The accountant's "deliberate error" in the financial report led to significant consequences."

What's the difference between "willful mistake" and "honest mistake"?

The key difference is intent. An "honest mistake" is unintentional and made without awareness, while a "willful mistake" involves some level of conscious awareness or disregard for the potential error.

What can I say instead of "willful mistake"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "deliberate error", "intentional blunder", or "conscious oversight".