variants
or wilful
1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
a particularly willful horse that took weeks to break to saddle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in stubbornness
a steadfast adherence to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
her unceasing willfulness eventually wore down her critics and opponents
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rebellion
refusal to obey
the trainer was able to correct our dog's willfulness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of willful
Tara Suter, The Hill, 13 Mar. 2025
The benefit of that confusion, if there can be any, is that the penalty regime in the Corporate Transparency Act itself only applies to willful behavior.
—Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Luckily, her father steered her away from such a willful error.
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
In addition to the federal offense, the passenger was charged with battery, willful obstruction of law enforcement officers and criminal damage to property, inmate records show.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for willful
Adjective
Teixeira had also pleaded guilty last March to six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information following his posting of more than 100 classified documents covering topics including Ukraine and intelligence gathered via spying on allies.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 13 Mar. 2025
The benefit of that confusion, if there can be any, is that the penalty regime in the Corporate Transparency Act itself only applies to willful behavior.
—Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Luckily, her father steered her away from such a willful error.
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
In addition to the federal offense, the passenger was charged with battery, willful obstruction of law enforcement officers and criminal damage to property, inmate records show.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for willful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willful
Adjective
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Aquarius: Justin Suarez Socially conscious and true fashionista, Justin’s creativity and free spirit very much align with Aquarius’ rebellious nature and sparkling individuality.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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It’s been 150 years since the Impressionists shocked Paris with their rebellious Société Anonyme show.—
Nazanin Lankarani,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Some means to understand things that are uncontrollable.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
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By systematically reviewing and understanding the distinction between controllable and uncontrollable factors, informed decisions that align with financial goals can be made, setting the stage for the future.—
Ira Walker,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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The deliberate elimination of gender-affirming care in many states is a serious human rights violation.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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As the recovery needle for Chinook moves in the wrong direction, Katz said deliberate action is urgent.—
Alastair Bland | CalMatters,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Why Communication Training Often Fails To Stick Some people are very stubborn and stick to their communication style, even when confronted.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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The most glaring of those misses came against Arsenal in October, with Bournemouth trying to break down a stubborn defence following William Saliba’s dismissal.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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For years, Bitcoin stood as a symbol of rebellion—a decentralized answer to central banks, inflationary currencies, and overreaching governments.—
Max (Chong) Li,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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What may have seemed like a lighthearted act of rebellion struck a chord with many disillusioned job seekers, fed up with outdated hiring practices and a job market increasingly filtered through artificial intelligence.—
Arick Wierson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Hegseth, a veteran and former Fox News host, was defiant in remarks to reporters earlier Monday.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2025
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But when asked about the lack of norms and decorum in the current political climate and whether Democrats need to play on the same level, Himes was defiant.—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Fan reactions in the comments were as opinionated as they were divided.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Media Bias/Fact Check also says that the blending of news with opinionated commentary on Fox News may blur the lines between factual reporting and partisan viewpoints.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Willful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willful. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
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