# wanton

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈwɒntən/ · frequency rank #34,743

## Definitions
1. Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled.
2. Playful, sportive; merry or carefree.
3. Lewd, immoral; sexually open, unchaste.
4. Capricious, reckless of morality, justice etc.; acting without regard for the law or the well-being of others; gratuitous.
5. Extravagant, unrestrained, excessive.

## Etymology
From Middle English wantoun, wantowen, wantoȝen, wantowe (“uneducated; unrestrained; licentious; sportive; playful”), from wan- (“not, un-, mis-”) + towen, i-towen (“educated”, literally “towed; led; drawn”), from Old English togen, ġetogen, past participle of tēon (“to train, discipline”), equivalent to wan- + towed.

## Easily confused with
- **wants** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wanton-vs-wants)
- **Watson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wanton-vs-watson)
- **Weston** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wanton-vs-weston)
- **Wilton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wanton-vs-wilton)
- **Winton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wanton-vs-winton)
- **Winston** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wanton-vs-winston)
- **Wharton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wanton-vs-wharton)
- **want** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/want-vs-wanton)
- **wagon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wagon-vs-wanton)
- **wanted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wanted-vs-wanton)
- **Walton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/walton-vs-wanton)
- **wanting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wanting-vs-wanton)

## Common misspellings (9)
`awnton`, `wannton`, `wanotn`, `wantno`, `wantonn`, `wantton`, `watnon`, `wnaton`, `wwanton`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/wanton