as in restraint
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions
trying to summon the willpower to resist buying any more books before finishing the unread ones I already have
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of willpower
The idyllic scene, made even more bucolic with chickens and sheep ambling across the lane, requires every ounce of willpower to pull ourselves out of the ridiculously comfy bed.
—
Sarah Wood González, Vogue, 11 June 2025
Enforce these boundaries with tools like iOS Screen Time or Android's Digital Wellbeing—no willpower is required there.
—Alex Backus, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Keep Going Continue until your routine no longer requires willpower.
—Kazuyoshi Hisano, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
But the issue is not indicative of willpower or lack thereof, but a sign that someone may be dealing with an issue such as bad sleep hygiene, disturbed sleep throughout the night, or an underlying sleep disorder, Schütz said.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for willpower
Sarah Wood González, Vogue, 11 June 2025
Enforce these boundaries with tools like iOS Screen Time or Android's Digital Wellbeing—no willpower is required there.
—Alex Backus, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Keep Going Continue until your routine no longer requires willpower.
—Kazuyoshi Hisano, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
But the issue is not indicative of willpower or lack thereof, but a sign that someone may be dealing with an issue such as bad sleep hygiene, disturbed sleep throughout the night, or an underlying sleep disorder, Schütz said.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for willpower
Recent Examples of Synonyms for willpower
Noun
-
Shams Charania’s debut as part of ESPN’s NBA Draft coverage last week doubled as a herculean exercise in restraint.—
Peter A. Berry,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2025
-
Most were secular, or observed religion privately and with restraint.—
Kian Tajbakhsh,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
Noun
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This natural cause-and-effect helps build self-control in decision making, which is more effective than a lecture alone.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
8 July 2025
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In fact, people who show more consistent self-control don’t necessarily do so all the time.—
Jasmine Mote,
Scientific American,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Willpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willpower. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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