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
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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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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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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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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of willful
Violators could face at least $5,000 per offense, plus punitive damages for willful misuse.
—
Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 21 May 2025
Such statements reveal a willful disregard of the truth of what actually happened and due process, not to mention basic capitalization rules.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 10 May 2025
In 2019, a new state law halted willful defiance suspensions in public schools for the fourth and fifth grade, and banned them in sixth through eighth grade for a half-decade.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
Baldwin feels that such a response in the face of violence has to be a posture, an outright lie or a willful evasiveness.
—Andrew Moore, New York Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for willful
Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 21 May 2025
Such statements reveal a willful disregard of the truth of what actually happened and due process, not to mention basic capitalization rules.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 10 May 2025
In 2019, a new state law halted willful defiance suspensions in public schools for the fourth and fifth grade, and banned them in sixth through eighth grade for a half-decade.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
Baldwin feels that such a response in the face of violence has to be a posture, an outright lie or a willful evasiveness.
—Andrew Moore, New York Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for willful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willful
Adjective
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Inspired by 1953’s The Wild One starring Marlon Brando, the song and video captures the rebellious spirit of the cult classic, with scenes of a motorcycle being driven on an open road and birds in flight.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
4 June 2025
-
Many historians estimate that at least 15 to 20 percent of the population remained loyal to the crown, some even taking up arms against their rebellious neighbors and fighting alongside the British.—
Greg Daugherty,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
His uncontrollable emotions led to misbehavior at Liberty High School, and Charles was moved to the Department of Youth Services in a residential treatment program to correct his behavior.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
31 May 2025
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Rap is banned in Iran due to its critical content, its uncontrollable means of distribution, and its direct opposition to the regime’s official values, including the rejection of religious and ideological themes.—
Ali Farahmand,
IndieWire,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
Richard was known for being outspoken, if not arrogant, consistently rubbing his Tagi tribe the wrong way and offending some of them with his blatant display of nudity on the island.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
27 May 2025
-
Multiple people described him to me as unpopular and arrogant.—
Amanda Chicago Lewis,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Going the extra mile should be thoughtful and deliberate, creating a lasting impact without breaking the bank.—
Jacob Orrin,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
The Aztecs must be deliberate and thorough in their search.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Jet fuel rolled down the street and the smell of it lingered in the air while authorities worked to extinguish one stubborn car fire that sent smoke billowing up.—
John Hanna,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2025
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Of course, stubborn coach Tom Thibodeau went with his only play, a Jalen Brunson iso, while the starters huffed and puffed from playing nearly the entire game.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Bowser’s shifting response on immigration matters is one of a number of ways the mayor, a leading figure in the Democratic resistance during Trump’s first term, is now striking a less defiant tone.—
Catherine E. Shoichet,
CNN Money,
28 May 2025
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Moxley took out Nightingale to massive heat, and Omega hit a snap-dragon suplex on a defiant Marina Shafir.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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For being such an opinionated, sure person, this is an element in my life that I’ve never been superattached to a yes or no answer.—
Lulu Garcia-Navarro,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
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In a four-episode arc premiering Wednesday, Rodriguez will play Pietro, a vivacious and opinionated party planner hired to help Genoa City royalty Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) plot out her big birthday bash.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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Businesses now live in fear of retroactive rulings, arbitrary penalties and endless audits.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
-
The risks include wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure.—
Nick Butler,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Willful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willful. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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