willfully murdered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "willfully murdered" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in legal contexts or discussions about intent in criminal acts, particularly when emphasizing the deliberate nature of the act. Example: "The jury found the defendant guilty of willfully murdered his business partner during a dispute."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

But the warm fuzzy feeling on the part of activists and those who have worked tirelessly to expose police brutality belied an uncomfortable truth: While the video of Dubose's death looks terrible, proving Tensing willfully murdered the father of 13 in a court of law is an entirely different matter.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

He said what they what remember was that Tsarnaev "murdered and maimed innocent people" and "did it willfully and intentionally".

The Guardian

The war has so dulled our moral capacities as to make some of our soldiers capable of mass murder and some of our civilians capable of applauding or willfully ignoring that murder.

The New Yorker

Ms. Blackman's killer, it turns out, had been drugging, raping and murdering young women for some three decades, almost directly under the noses of an incompetent or willfully blind Japanese police force.

The New York Times - Books

It's willfully making money off endangering soldiers.

The New York Times

The three officers are charged with "murders, willful killing, willfully causing great suffering and inhumane treatment," the tribunal said, adding that the victims were mostly Bosnian Croat prisoners of war and civilians.

The New York Times

The ICTY indicted Arkan — who was assassinated in 2000 — and the Tigers for a number of crimes, including murder, rape, and willfully causing great suffering.

Vice

But it comes off as willfully naïve.

The New Yorker

Though Mr. Osorio did not pull the trigger, "he willfully did everything he could to make this murder possible," Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon said in a statement.

The New York Times

The willfully ignorant persist in perpetuating the fallacy that the murders of black people by police officers are somehow separated from race.

HuffPost

The arrest warrant states Owens "unlawfully, willfully and feloniously did of malice afterthought kill and murder" the Codds on March 12, WLOS reported.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "willfully murdered" when you want to stress the conscious and voluntary aspect of the act, distinguishing it from manslaughter or accidental killings.

Common error

Avoid using "willfully murdered" if there is any ambiguity about the perpetrator's intent. If the act was potentially accidental or committed under duress, a different phrase would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "willfully murdered" functions as a verb phrase where "willfully" acts as an adverb modifying the verb "murdered." It emphasizes the intentional and deliberate nature of the act. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English, particularly in legal contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "willfully murdered" is a phrase used to describe a killing carried out intentionally and deliberately. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English, particularly in legal or high-stakes contexts where intent is crucial. It's most frequently found in News & Media sources. When writing, it’s important to reserve this phrase for situations where intent is clear and undeniable, avoiding its use if there is any ambiguity about the circumstances of the killing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

premeditated killing

This alternative emphasizes the planning involved before the act.

cold-blooded murder

This highlights the lack of emotion or remorse in the act.

intentional homicide

This is a more formal and legalistic way to describe the act.

planned and executed murder

This option clearly underlines the planning and carrying out of the murder.

deliberate assassination

This suggests a targeted killing, often of a public figure.

designed killing

This suggests that the murder was planned carefully.

malicious slaying

This highlights the evil intent behind the killing.

prearranged homicide

This alternative highlights the planning and agreement before the murder took place.

calculated execution

This emphasizes the cold and unemotional nature of the killing.

purposeful extermination

This suggests a systematic and planned annihilation.

FAQs

What does "willfully murdered" mean in a legal context?

In law, "willfully murdered" implies that the act of killing was done deliberately and intentionally, with a full understanding of the consequences. It distinguishes the crime from accidental killings or manslaughter.

What are some alternatives to saying "willfully murdered"?

You can use alternatives like "premeditated killing", "intentional homicide", or "deliberate assassination" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "willfully murdered" and "intentionally killed"?

While both phrases suggest a deliberate act, "willfully murdered" often carries a stronger connotation of malice and premeditation compared to "intentionally killed". The former is more frequently used in legal settings.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "willfully murdered"?

Use "willfully murdered" when emphasizing the deliberate and planned nature of the killing. It is most appropriate in legal contexts or when discussing crimes with a clear element of premeditation and malice.