wanton Hear it!

wanton Definition

wan·ton (wänt′'n)

adjective

  1. Obsolete undisciplined; unmanageable a wanton child
    1. sexually loose or unrestrained a wanton woman
    2. Old Poet. frisky; playful; frolicsome
    3. Old Poet. capricious; unrestrained wanton winds
  3. senseless, unprovoked, unjustifiable, or deliberately malicious wanton cruelty, a wanton insult
  4. recklessly or arrogantly ignoring justice, decency, morality, etc. wanton disregard of human rights
    1. Now Rare luxuriant: said of vegetation, etc.
    2. lavish, luxurious, or extravagant: said of speech, dress, etc.

Etymology: ME wantowen, var. of wantogen, wanton, irregular < OE wan-, used as negative prefix < wan, lacking, deficient (see wane) + togen, pp. of teon, to draw, educate, bring up (see tow)

noun

a wanton person or thing; esp., a sexually loose or unrestrained woman

intransitive verb

to be wanton in behavior, action, manner, etc.

transitive verb

to waste carelessly or in luxurious pleasures

wanton Related Forms
wan′·tonly adverb wan′·ton·ness noun
wanton Synonyms

wanton

modif.

  1. Unrestrained

    extravagant, capricious, reckless, unreserved, unfettered, free, wayward, fluctuating, changeable, whimsical, fitful, variable, fanciful, inconstant, fickle, frivolous, volatile.

  2. Lewd

    libidinous, lustful, licentious; see lewd 1, 2.

  3. Deliberately malicious

    unprovoked, unfair, merciless, senseless, malicious, unjustifiable, unjust, malevolent.

wanton Law Definition

adj

Reckless; extremely careless; acting with utter disregard for others; implies conduct that is beyond mere negligence. In criminal law, malicious or malevolent intent.
wanton Usage Examples

Object

  • destruction: We made it clear that we care about wanton destruction.
  • boy: As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods: They kill us for their sport.
  • vandalism: We've lost enough bothies as it is over the years without more now going to wanton vandalism.

Modifies a noun

  • destruction: History does not record the reaction of volatile Simon to the wanton destruction of the roof of his house!
  • cruelty: Our campaign has always focussed on ending wanton cruelty to Britain's wild mammals - perpetrated in the name of sport.
  • vandalism: It is wanton vandalism to develop the Dee House site.
  • disregard: Figures are rendered with wanton disregard for anatomy or accurate animation.
  • killing: For instance, as well as the wanton killing, the other characters will now spew blood when shot or injured.
  • slaughter: Seeing the sights of wanton slaughter, To another bloody tour across the water.

Modifying Another Word

  • not: These attacks, however, are not wanton and are not delivered against the civilian population, although non-combatants are inevitably killed in them.
  • about: We made it clear that we care about wanton destruction.

Used with adjective complement

  • grow: We find that in chapter 5. Certain of them were growing wanton against Christ.
wanton Quotes

Success hath made me wanton.

—Jonson, Ben