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
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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
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
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Do something semi-rebellious in honor of Lane Kim Like dyeing your hair or joining a band!—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
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Kimmel is once again on the air throughout the country now that rebellious affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair have backed down and agreed to resume airing his ABC late-night show after a weeklong standoff.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The ransom notes that followed stirred up an uncontrollable press storm, but when the culprits fell silent, the police faltered, and Catriona and Adam were never seen again.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
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These faulty proteins accumulate in a deep brain structure called the striatum and cause symptoms such as uncontrollable movements, muscle spasms and cognitive decline that worsen over time.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Jean stepped out as Nia approached—lean and arrogant, a cigarette pinched between her lips.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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While relocating the U21s and U18s from the main building was a deliberate choice, space has in any case been taken up by open-plan offices to accommodate non-football staff relocated from Old Trafford — a policy instructed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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What sets Hernandez apart is the combination of technical fluency, cultural sensibility, and deliberate coordination.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Originally bred in Germany to hunt badgers, these small canines are energetic, bold and stubborn.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Both options meant navigating some stubborn supporters.—
Kevin Coulson,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Though the song order is Easter egg intentional – as with everything Swift – it’s bookended by a declaration of romantic salvation and a narrative from the perspective of a weary, yet defiant showgirl.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Polis has sought to avoid public fights with the federal government over immigration, unlike his more publicly defiant counterparts in Illinois and California.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Those mourning him remember a man who could be opinionated and controversial, from his criticism of DEI to his remarks on race and Civil Rights leaders.—
Beatrice Peterson,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
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Eleanor is opinionated, lonely, frustrated, and scared, giving Squibb a rich palette from which to paint.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Cuba’s leaders have pursued a slow, narrow and sometimes arbitrary path toward economic privatization – especially when contrasted with other officially communist countries in Asia.—
Joseph J. Gonzalez,
The Conversation,
3 Oct. 2025
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The unions have asked the court to declare that both OMB and OPM have exceeded their statutory authority and acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner, and to invalidate any actions that may come from the memos and guidance issued.—
Franco Ordoñez,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Willful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willful. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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