1
as in stubbornness
a steadfast adherence to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
her unceasing willfulness eventually wore down her critics and opponents
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rebellion
refusal to obey
the trainer was able to correct our dog's willfulness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of willfulness
Though the Durutti Column had been a disaster, Wilson was fascinated by the guitarist, who admired punk’s willfulness even though his own musical taste tended toward jazz, blues, and the classical tradition.
—
Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
The orphan’s predicament is as much a matter of willfulness as of survival—inseparable, as in the works of Charles Dickens, from a dream of being somehow rescued by the idea of an adult world.
—Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
While this change reduces the explicit admission of willfulness, a narrative is still required.
—Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
The orphan’s predicament is as much a matter of willfulness as of survival—inseparable, as in the works of Charles Dickens, from a dream of being somehow rescued by the idea of an adult world.
—Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
While this change reduces the explicit admission of willfulness, a narrative is still required.
—Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willfulness
Noun
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In season one, Robby’s vulnerabilities were made evident through his trauma over the loss of his mentor during COVID; in the show’s next chapter, his vulnerabilities are shown through his stubbornness.—
Esther Zuckerman,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
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Given the stubbornness of beef prices, some investors may have feared inflation was running even hotter.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements can be seen as, at least partially, a brief rebellion against this culture of elite impunity.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
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Season two of Robin Hood expands the world beyond Sherwood and Nottingham into the treacherous courts of England, France, and Rome, transforming the outlaw rebellion into a high stakes battle for the soul of a kingdom.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Approach the situation with patience and persistence, and stay focused on reaching a reasonable resolution for everyone involved.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
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Endurance meets firepower Performance analytics conducted so far indicate confidence in the MQ-9B’s ability to carry long-range weapons over significant distances while maintaining its hallmark persistence and endurance.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Now, Zelenskyy’s defiance of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion has taken on an increasingly exasperated, if not desperate, tone.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
24 Feb. 2026
-
To someone unfamiliar with the condition, all could be mistaken for intoxication, defiance or guilt.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
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The White House does not seem to have a workaround to Putin’s obstinacy, and Rubio told Hannity that all other parties seeking to end the conflict are hopeless.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The pseudo-goth hair and costume choices speak to an inner rebelliousness that isn’t so much unleashed as forced loose by a system that values the appearance of a mythical impartiality over her humanity, leaving her with little recourse but to step outside the confines of the law.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
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The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But also injuries and ailments at all the wrong times, as well as overt self-will at times.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Feb. 2025
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So for those of us torn between watching the sun get blotted out and getting blotto keeping our attention on a particularly good rock show, this exercise in multi-tasking was a real contest of self-will.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2024
Noun
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More to the point, the government's understaffing and high caseload is a problem of its own making and absolutely does not justify flagrant disobedience of court orders.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
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As litigation commenced and DHS officials were called to testify, judges became frustrated at the rampant false testimony and disobedience of the government.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Willfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willfulness. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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