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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Recent Examples of willpower
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
This chakra governs our personal power, identity, beliefs, willpower and ego.
Light: Open-minded, confident, playful, intelligent, organized, self-assured.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Content oversight and quality assurance provided by Studio 1847
Obesity is a real medical condition — it’s not just caused by poor willpower or overeating.
—Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
The world’s best reeled off 17 points in a row against Gauff to lead 4-1 in the first set, but the second proved a classic battle of willpower with the American going 5-3 up before her opponent finally broke at the fifth time of asking.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for willpower
Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
This chakra governs our personal power, identity, beliefs, willpower and ego.
Light: Open-minded, confident, playful, intelligent, organized, self-assured.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Content oversight and quality assurance provided by Studio 1847
Obesity is a real medical condition — it’s not just caused by poor willpower or overeating.
—Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
The world’s best reeled off 17 points in a row against Gauff to lead 4-1 in the first set, but the second proved a classic battle of willpower with the American going 5-3 up before her opponent finally broke at the fifth time of asking.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 4 May 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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These areas are important for social behavior, emotion, and self-control.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 June 2025
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Research shows that insufficient sleep disrupts hunger signals, weakens self-control, impairs glucose metabolism and increases your risk of weight gain.—
Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse,
The Conversation,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Willpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/willpower. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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