willful

adjective

ˈwil-fəl How to pronounce willful (audio)
variants or wilful
Definition of willfulnext
1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control a particularly willful horse that took weeks to break to saddle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uncontrollable
given to resisting control or discipline by others finally the parents sought professional counseling for the willful child

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3
as in arrogant
having or showing a tendency to force one's will on others without any regard to fairness or necessity a willful disregard for the rights of others

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4
as in deliberate
made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing a willful attempt to cheat her siblings out of their rightful inheritance

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5
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion the kind of willful person who can never bring himself to admit that he made a mistake

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective willful differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of willful are headstrong, intractable, recalcitrant, refractory, ungovernable, and unruly. While all these words mean "not submissive to government or control," willful implies an obstinate determination to have one's own way.

a willful disregard for the rights of others

When can headstrong be used instead of willful?

Although the words headstrong and willful have much in common, headstrong suggests self-will impatient of restraint, advice, or suggestion.

a headstrong young cavalry officer

When would intractable be a good substitute for willful?

The words intractable and willful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, intractable suggests stubborn resistance to guidance or control.

intractable opponents of the hazardous-waste dump

When is recalcitrant a more appropriate choice than willful?

While in some cases nearly identical to willful, recalcitrant suggests determined resistance to or defiance of authority.

acts of sabotage by a recalcitrant populace

Where would refractory be a reasonable alternative to willful?

While the synonyms refractory and willful are close in meaning, refractory stresses resistance to attempts to manage or to mold.

special schools for refractory children

When is it sensible to use ungovernable instead of willful?

The synonyms ungovernable and willful are sometimes interchangeable, but ungovernable implies either an escape from control or guidance or a state of being unsubdued and incapable of controlling oneself or being controlled by others.

ungovernable rage

When might unruly be a better fit than willful?

In some situations, the words unruly and willful are roughly equivalent. However, unruly implies lack of discipline or incapacity for discipline and often connotes waywardness or turbulence of behavior.

unruly children

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of willful In short, a willful, erratic and heedless president is prepared to risk both the U.S. and global economy to make his ideological point. —Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025 The distinction between willful and non-willful noncompliance is crucial because willful violations carry substantially higher penalties and potential criminal liability. —Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.d., Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 Teixeira pleaded guilty last March to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act, following his arrest in the most consequential national security breach in years. —Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 10 Mar. 2025 She was charged with a DUI and DWI, negligently driving a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, endangering property, life, and person, as well as recklessly driving a vehicle in wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons and property. —Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for willful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willful
  1. rebellious
  2. uncontrollable
  3. arrogant
  4. deliberate
  5. stubborn
  6. defiant
  7. opinionated
  8. arbitrary
Adjective
  • And if his readership remained informed on his doings, the prince and his supporters didn’t succeed in silencing him and the rest of the rebellious faction.
    — Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Wearing cowboy boots with shorts is not only a bold stylistic choice but also a practical way to dress for warm weather without giving up the rustic and rebellious touch that the boots bring.
    — René Chávez Esparza, Glamour, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of rebellious
Adjective
  • Common Mental Health Conditions in Men Depression Depression causes disruptive, uncontrollable feelings of sadness and emptiness.
    — Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Already, we are haunted by the specters of nuclear warfare and uncontrollable climate change.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of uncontrollable
Adjective
  • Ava Daniels is a young comedy writer who is unable to find work due to an insensitive tweet and her reputation for being self-centered and arrogant.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • And the villains, of course, exuding every nastily relatable emotion; the stepmothers and sorceresses are vain, arrogant, dismissive, lonely, rude, and outrageous.
    — Darren Franich, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of arrogant
Adjective
  • Be deliberate about your communications with the federal agency and offer any questions and rebuttals in writing.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Many people have perceived his walking off set and the Instagram story as a deliberate snub.
    — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of deliberate
Adjective
  • Despite growing consternation and concern expressed by economists and CEOs, Trump administration officials have been stubborn in defending its trade policies.
    — Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Ocasio-Cortez might have a good shot at cracking that stubborn nut.
    — Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of stubborn
Adjective
  • More: China defiant, accuses Trump of 'blackmail' over 104% tariff threat: Live updates On Monday, Trump described similar negotiations underway with Japan as world leaders try to convince the U.S. president to roll back his new tariffs on all imports.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
  • What To Know Trump has remained defiant despite mounting fears of recession and a plunging stock market.
    — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of defiant
Adjective
  • Duffy is hilariously literate, an opinionated fanboy ready to defend Nirvana against naysayers.
    — Claude Peck, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Water signs may relate closely to wise and opinionated Owl while Earth signs may relate to the reserved and — sometimes gloomy — Eeyore.
    — Athena Sobhan, People.com, 18 Jan. 2025
Definition of opinionated
Adjective
  • Too many leaders seek to lead down by being authoritative, by pushing dictates on people and relentlessly driving forward toward arbitrary goals and deadlines.
    — Andrew Deutscher, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The responses, submitted by a fairly arbitrary group of women, range from profound to half-hearted.
    — Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of arbitrary

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Cite this Entry

“Willful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willful. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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