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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective headstrong differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of headstrong are intractable, recalcitrant, refractory, ungovernable, unruly, and willful. While all these words mean "not submissive to government or control," headstrong suggests self-will impatient of restraint, advice, or suggestion.

a headstrong young cavalry officer

When can intractable be used instead of headstrong?

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

intractable opponents of the hazardous-waste dump

When would recalcitrant be a good substitute for headstrong?

The words recalcitrant and headstrong can be used in similar contexts, but recalcitrant suggests determined resistance to or defiance of authority.

acts of sabotage by a recalcitrant populace

When could refractory be used to replace headstrong?

While in some cases nearly identical to headstrong, refractory stresses resistance to attempts to manage or to mold.

special schools for refractory children

When might ungovernable be a better fit than headstrong?

The meanings of ungovernable and headstrong largely overlap; however, 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

Where would unruly be a reasonable alternative to headstrong?

While the synonyms unruly and headstrong are close in meaning, unruly implies lack of discipline or incapacity for discipline and often connotes waywardness or turbulence of behavior.

unruly children

In what contexts can willful take the place of headstrong?

In some situations, the words willful and headstrong are roughly equivalent. However, willful implies an obstinate determination to have one's own way.

a willful disregard for the rights of others

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 headstrong The jukebox musical uses nearly two dozen ABBA tunes to tell the story of a young woman named Sophie (Amy Weaver), who was raised by her headstrong single mother Donna (Christine Sherrill) on a whimsical Greek island. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025 His evocation of the sights, sounds, and even smells of Victorian London was as gripping as his psychological portrait of the brilliant and bizarre Thomas de Quincey and his tender relationship with his headstrong and independent daughter Emily. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2025 The drama follows Veneno (played by non-pro Víctor Miguel), a headstrong young drifter who survives by seducing truck drivers at 24-hour roadside diners called cachimbas. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 25 Aug. 2025 Monk is 27 years old and is under contract on a manageable deal through 2028 (the last year is a $21.6 million player option), so the fact that Sacramento is so headstrong on jettisoning Monk for a much older, declining player in Westbrook is strange. Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for headstrong
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headstrong
Adjective
  • Month over month, that would be the same stubborn pace that has persisted for more than two years.
    Steve Kopack, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Results show that microbial iron mining can immobilize toxic metals and convert stubborn pollutants into less harmful compounds.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Back in January 2024, when Sportico was first to report on Florida State’s conversations with Sixth Street and Arctos Partners, many around the process were adamant to point out that those conversations were private credit (or private capital), not private equity.
    Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Giuffre was adamant that the pain, including several attempts at suicide in the past few years, was part of her story.
    Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • According to the researchers, teenage men tend to favor intense, rebellious genres that fuel identity and independence in a phase that peaks early.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
  • But the couple have yet to conceive an heir, so when Jerome absconds and his dashing friend Manfred (Galitzine) arrives with dastardly intentions, Hero (Corrin), Cherry’s wily and loyal maid, is forced to concoct a plan to distract Manfred by telling captivating stories about rebellious women.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The spokesperson said that an immigration judge had terminated his permanent resident status and ordered his removal on June 23, 2022, citing fraud and willful misrepresentation.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Tessa Thompson stars as the willful heroine, married to a rather meek academic, George Tesman (Tom Bateman), who’s angling for an important university position.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • What’s curious, then, is not Trump’s eagerness to degrade us, but his uncontrollable urge to defile himself and his office.
    Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
  • When he was hired, Hazimeh told supervisors he had been diagnosed with anxiety, resulting in an uncontrollable nervous tic.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Fortunately, many of us live in communities of fellow pet lovers who are willing and ready to keep an eye out for wayward animals.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Tennessee’s big cats are mostly of the bobcat variety, but one wayward mountain lion captured the state’s attention.
    Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Headstrong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headstrong. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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