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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective willful differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of willful are headstrong, intractable, recalcitrant, refractory, ungovernable, and unruly. While all these words mean "not submissive to government or control," willful implies an obstinate determination to have one's own way.

a willful disregard for the rights of others

When can headstrong be used instead of willful?

Although the words headstrong and willful have much in common, headstrong suggests self-will impatient of restraint, advice, or suggestion.

a headstrong young cavalry officer

When would intractable be a good substitute for willful?

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

intractable opponents of the hazardous-waste dump

When is recalcitrant a more appropriate choice than willful?

While in some cases nearly identical to willful, recalcitrant suggests determined resistance to or defiance of authority.

acts of sabotage by a recalcitrant populace

Where would refractory be a reasonable alternative to willful?

While the synonyms refractory and willful are close in meaning, refractory stresses resistance to attempts to manage or to mold.

special schools for refractory children

When is it sensible to use ungovernable instead of willful?

The synonyms ungovernable and willful are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

When might unruly be a better fit than willful?

In some situations, the words unruly and willful are roughly equivalent. However, unruly implies lack of discipline or incapacity for discipline and often connotes waywardness or turbulence of behavior.

unruly children

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 willful Although Sagoo will likely be appealed, taxpayers with willful FBAR penalties should watch the decision carefully to determine whether the same arguments may be raised in their cases. Matthew L. Roberts, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 Maybe this willful disregard for someone’s wishes, particularly about their home, is part of some larger family dynamic. R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 11 Sep. 2025 At this point in its history, the theory goes, the United States requires a willful and largely unaccountable power to impose changes that leaders with more delicate sensibilities and procedural scruples cannot ever accomplish. Russell Muirhead, Foreign Affairs, 5 Sep. 2025 The result is a book of willful delirium, one that deconstructs its own narrative. Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for willful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willful
Adjective
  • There's just something so irresistible about the lace-up flat with its air of rebellious discipline.
    Alex Sales, Glamour, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Singer Kelis has always been rebellious and non-conforming.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • That revelation—learning that uncontrollable crying wasn’t her personality but neurological damage—became another layer of self-compassion.
    Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 10 Oct. 2025
  • These friends act as social insurance systems for each other, helping each other when needs arise because of unpredictable and uncontrollable events.
    Athena Aktipis, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Jackson returns as Wes Bryant, a handsome, intelligent, but arrogant man who had just moved to Seattle and was revealed to be a new medical intern at Grey Sloan.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Jack Cutmore-Scott as Julius Beaufort, an arrogant new money banker at the center of New York society with an interest in Ellen.
    Joe Otterson, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • War would also mean no deliberate, orderly transfer of some 12,000 Islamic State detainees from Kurdish to Syrian state prisons.
    Hassan Hassan, Time, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Hints of unease momentarily heightened as the Spartans — deliberate and layered — went to work.
    Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
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 Oct. 2025
  • Scientists have discovered a cleaner, faster way to recycle one of the world’s most stubborn plastics, not with heat or chemicals, but with sheer mechanical force.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Kurt Caz, a white South African social-media star with millions of followers across platforms, first gained popularity through filming his defiant tours of dangerous neighborhoods in countries such as Venezuela and Kenya.
    T. M. Brown, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2025
  • In a defiant address to the nation on Monday night, Rajoelina said that he had been forced to move to a safe place because of threats to his life.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In very opinionated remarks, Brunello Cucinelli sent a positive message to his company’s partners in the audience.
    Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Hamlin is the uber-talented and equally opinionated elder statesman of the NASCAR Cup Series.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Beeber said speed limits on highways are arbitrary to some extent given their design.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
  • What To Know On October 7, 2025, the State Department reaffirmed Level 2 travel advisories for both the Maldives and Equatorial Guinea, but expanded the risk profile for Equatorial Guinea, adding fresh warnings regarding arbitrary law enforcement.
    News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Willful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willful. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

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