as in rebellion
refusal to obey
the unremitting waywardness of the child frustrated her parents at times
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waywardness
Noun
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The stumbles provided ammunition to a bipartisan congressional rebellion that eventually led to overwhelming passage of a bill requiring release of all the files, although the DOJ has been slow to comply.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026 -
Seeing privileged young women wisen up to their standardized subjugation is bound to be less dramatic than witnessing a righteous workers’ rebellion.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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According to the Indivisible site, what began in 2025 as a single day of defiance has become a sustained national resistance to tyranny, spreading from small towns to city centers and across every community determined to defend democracy.—
Gina Grillo,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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And an underdog who stayed in the contest in defiance of steep odds and, seemingly, common sense.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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Though the Durutti Column had been a disaster, Wilson was fascinated by the guitarist, who admired punk’s willfulness even though his own musical taste tended toward jazz, blues, and the classical tradition.—
Brad Shoup,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The pseudo-goth hair and costume choices speak to an inner rebelliousness that isn’t so much unleashed as forced loose by a system that values the appearance of a mythical impartiality over her humanity, leaving her with little recourse but to step outside the confines of the law.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
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The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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More to the point, the government's understaffing and high caseload is a problem of its own making and absolutely does not justify flagrant disobedience of court orders.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
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As litigation commenced and DHS officials were called to testify, judges became frustrated at the rampant false testimony and disobedience of the government.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Waywardness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waywardness. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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