1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
had always been the most wayward of their three children
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
given to resisting control or discipline by others
an institution to which wayward teens were often sent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wayward
The wayward son of a small-town returns after finding fame and fortune and must confront the old friends eagerly awaiting his return for reasons of their own.
—
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Burt, a delightful and spirited 69-year-old street musician with Parkinson’s has his daily life shaken up when, Sammy, a wayward young man from New York shows up claiming to be his son.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 Jan. 2026
That’s when a park employee confronted the wayward sphere, holding out his forearms and bracing for impact.
—Cristian Santana, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
Annual pruning prevents the plant from developing a woody center and wayward shape.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Burt, a delightful and spirited 69-year-old street musician with Parkinson’s has his daily life shaken up when, Sammy, a wayward young man from New York shows up claiming to be his son.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 Jan. 2026
That’s when a park employee confronted the wayward sphere, holding out his forearms and bracing for impact.
—Cristian Santana, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
Annual pruning prevents the plant from developing a woody center and wayward shape.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wayward
Adjective
-
Prior to the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery was the law in the rebellious states.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Jan. 2026
-
This wretched regime is doomed to be overthrown by the risen populace and rebellious youth.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
1 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
These two ingredients mixed together creates a powerful mixture perfect for lifting stubborn stains off grout because of their high cleaning and brightening properties.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The vinegar cleaning method isn’t foolproof, and sometimes stubborn residue can remain on your microwave walls.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Two men are targeted by the rebel army who overthrew the government of Colonel Jacobo Arbenz Guzman.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2026
-
He was denounced by rebel propagandists as a tyrant and remembered by Americans as a reactionary dolt.—
Bhumika Tharoor,
The Atlantic,
30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The unruly Weir ultimately returned to the Bay Area, where he was enrolled in Menlo-Atherton High.—
Chris Morris,
Variety,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Accusations often involved unruly pets or drug use.—
Saumya Roy,
The Dial,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Vice President Delcy Rodriguez initially was angry and defiant.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Venezuela’s interim leader, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, has alternated between taking a conciliatory approach towards Washington and striking a defiant tone.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Adams had carefully shepherded it through an often-recalcitrant City Council and through the gauntlet of demands coming from both the real estate lobby and pro-housing advocates.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
1 Jan. 2026
-
Putin has been recalcitrant about accepting previous Trump plans to end the war.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
27 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Leaders often blame uncontrollable factors—policies of previous administrations, hiring for a boom that fizzled unexpectedly, macroeconomic uncertainty, the rise of artificial intelligence—but all too often the real strategic issues go unaddressed.—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
1 Jan. 2026
-
The phenomenon of cavitation—the formation and collapse of tiny gas bubbles due to changes in pressure—was considered an undesirable and largely uncontrollable side effect.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
As an adult, he was convicted of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury in 2018 and evading an officer with willful disregard for public safety in 2023.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
31 Dec. 2025
-
Tran was convicted by a federal jury last September for fraudulent collection of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and his willful omission of consulting and rental income from his tax returns in 2020, 2021 and 2022.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
19 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wayward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wayward. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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