1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
had always been the most wayward of their three children
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in rebellion
refusal to obey
the unremitting waywardness of the child frustrated her parents at times
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wayward
Yuripzy Morgan, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2025
Refuse to seed in shame what Nature sows and choose
what leaf and petal and wayward weed
all know:
grow.
—Cynthia Ozick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
Sasser moved to first base and the outfield, but the mental burnout from wayward throws affected his hitting approach and his once-promising career became a shambles.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
After a wayward drive, Morikawa had to punch out from the pine straw.
—Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Adjective
His experience gave me hope that instead of being given room to destroy, perhaps Maryland’s wayward youth would be given the discipline needed to succeed.
—Yuripzy Morgan, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2025
Refuse to seed in shame what Nature sows and choose
what leaf and petal and wayward weed
all know:
grow.
—Cynthia Ozick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
Sasser moved to first base and the outfield, but the mental burnout from wayward throws affected his hitting approach and his once-promising career became a shambles.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
After a wayward drive, Morikawa had to punch out from the pine straw.
—Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wayward
Adjective
-
Still, Adams failed to outright ask the most important questions: Were Canadians ever willing to join the rebellious Thirteen Colonies?—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 May 2025
-
Libra: Marge Simpson from The Simpsons Only a Libra mother could calmly and miraculously put up with the shenanigans that her three rebellious children cause.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
Outside of Washington, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s followers appear to be scrambling the country's stubborn red-blue divide USA TODAY Texas is looking at bills to bring back exercise.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
4 May 2025
-
The following day, however, Mercury will meet Mars in a stubborn square, triggering a clash between the need for practicality and discernment versus the desire to express oneself boldly and with pride.—
Staff Author,
People.com,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
After leading some of his fellow players in an uprising against the games, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) sees his rebellion instantly squashed.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
-
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who is waiting for the weekend to join the rebellion.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
The president's remarks note a stark difference in recent comments he's made toward the rebel group.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 May 2025
-
This week, rebel assassin Cinta Kaz (Varada Sethu) was accidentally shot by a Ghorman revolutionary during a routine attack on an Imperial transport ship.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
Even though the Administration admitted to deporting Abrego Garcia by mistake, Trump is refusing to take any steps to bring him back, in open defiance of the Supreme Court and other federal court rulings.—
Kica Matos,
Time,
2 May 2025
-
Barragan said he was shaped by his upbringing in the Kern County town of Delano, where his family was active in the United Farm Workers movement that staged marches, boycotts and strikes in defiance of powerful Central Valley growers in the 1960s and ‘70s.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But beneath Pakistan’s drumbeat of defiant declarations as tensions erupt with India, a weary Pakistani public sees war as the last thing the country needs.—
Salman Masood,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
-
The April data marks a setback for Beijing, as top leaders strive to maintain a defiant and confident posture amid Trump’s trade war.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Afghanistan remains unruly and dangerous and Pakistan is a willing and able partner in facing those threats, including a resurgent Al Qaeda.—
Christopher Shays,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2025
-
But the consequences of excessive drinking onboard – from unruly behavior to safety risks – can far outweigh the temporary pleasure of a drink.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
Adjective
-
Big cars, bigger trucks, two-dimensional women, recalcitrant men.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
9 May 2025
-
While the markets have not responded kindly, the White House insists the tariffs are bringing recalcitrant nations to the bargaining table.—
Lexi Lonas Cochran,
The Hill,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wayward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wayward. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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