wanton

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈwɒntən/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈwɑntən/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(won′tn)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
wan•ton /ˈwɑntən/USA pronunciation   adj. 
  1. not thinking of what is right or proper;
    inhumane:wanton cruelty.
  2. without motive;
    unprovoked:a wanton attack.
  3. sexually loose;
    lascivious.
  4. extravagant or excessive:wanton luxury.

n. [countable]
  1. a wanton person, esp. a lascivious woman.
wan•ton•ly, adv. 
wan•ton•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
wan•ton  (won′tn),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. done, shown, used, etc., maliciously or unjustifiably:a wanton attack; wanton cruelty.
  2. deliberate and without motive or provocation;
    uncalled-for;
    headstrong;
    willful:Why jeopardize your career in such a wanton way?
  3. without regard for what is right, just, humane, etc.;
    careless;
    reckless:a wanton attacker of religious convictions.
  4. sexually lawless or unrestrained;
    loose;
    lascivious;
    lewd:wanton behavior.
  5. extravagantly or excessively luxurious, as a person, manner of living, or style.
  6. luxuriant, as vegetation.
  7. [Archaic.]
    • sportive or frolicsome, as children or young animals.
    • having free play:wanton breezes; a wanton brook.

n. 
  1. a wanton or lascivious person, esp. a woman.

v.i. 
  1. to behave in a wanton manner;
    become wanton.

v.t. 
  1. to squander, esp. in pleasure (often fol. by away):to wanton away one's inheritance.
  • 1250–1300; Middle English wantowen literally, undisciplined, ill-reared, Old English wan- not + togen past participle of tēon to discipline, rear, cognate with German ziehen, Latin dūcere to lead; akin to tow1
wan′ton•ly, adv. 
wan′ton•ness, n. 
    1. malicious. 2. calculated. 3. heedless, inconsiderate. 4. licentious, dissolute, immoral, libidinous, concupiscent, lustful. 5. lavish. 10. waste.
    3. careful, considerate. 4. 5. restrained.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
wanton /ˈwɒntən/ adj
  1. dissolute, licentious, or immoral
  2. without motive, provocation, or justification: wanton destruction
  3. maliciously and unnecessarily cruel or destructive
  4. unrestrained: wanton spending
  5. archaic or poetic playful or capricious
  6. archaic (of vegetation, etc) luxuriant or superabundant
 n
  1. a licentious person
 vb
  1. (intransitive) to behave in a wanton manner
Etymology: 13th Century wantowen (in the obsolete sense: unmanageable, unruly): from wan- (prefix equivalent to un-1; related to Old English wanian to wane) + -towen, from Old English togen brought up, from tēon to bring upˈwantonly adv ˈwantonness n
'wanton' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
butchery - lust - massacre - nice - outrage - riot - riotous - vandalism - cadgy - debauch - destruction - dissolute - fast - gay - irritate - lascivious - malicious - orgiastic - Paphian - salacious - scabrous - sportive

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