1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
had always been the most wayward of their three children
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
given to resisting control or discipline by others
an institution to which wayward teens were often sent
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wayward
Palud follows the same aberration when Being Maria tracks Schneider’s descent into heroin addiction, her wayward film career, family turmoil, and bisexuality.
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Armond White, National Review, 28 Mar. 2025
To get to the hole on the 141-yard par three, players must avoid the large lake encompassing the green – a watery grave for many a wayward golf shot.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 13 Mar. 2025
For 109 years, Florida sent wayward boys from across the state to Dozier — and the series chronicled the men who survived the school and demanded acknowledgment, resolution and reparation.
—Yacob Reyes, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025
The battle between parents and wayward children is the archetypal plot of modernization.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wayward
Adjective
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And if his readership remained informed on his doings, the prince and his supporters didn’t succeed in silencing him and the rest of the rebellious faction.—
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Wearing cowboy boots with shorts is not only a bold stylistic choice but also a practical way to dress for warm weather without giving up the rustic and rebellious touch that the boots bring.—
Adjective
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Despite growing consternation and concern expressed by economists and CEOs, Trump administration officials have been stubborn in defending its trade policies.—
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Ocasio-Cortez might have a good shot at cracking that stubborn nut.—
Adjective
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In the fresh extended footage shown, DiCaprio’s former yippie Bob is seen negotiating with a difficult underground rebel contact who knows the whereabouts of his daughter (played by Chase Infiniti).—
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President Trump’s military and intelligence leaders inadvertently shared classified military information on a Houthi rebel attack with a magazine editor which was published online.—
Adjective
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More: China defiant, accuses Trump of 'blackmail' over 104% tariff threat: Live updates On Monday, Trump described similar negotiations underway with Japan as world leaders try to convince the U.S. president to roll back his new tariffs on all imports.—
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What To Know Trump has remained defiant despite mounting fears of recession and a plunging stock market.—
Adjective
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Cops have unmasked some of the unruly mob at a crazed Queens car meetup that left three NYPD vehicles vandalized, police said Friday.—
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While reports of unruly riding is citywide, one area that has seen a lot of issues is in the Top of the World neighborhood, near the trailhead for the Woods Canyon Wilderness Park, officials said.—
Adjective
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For recalcitrant teams, Scherzer would also remove the runner who automatically starts each inning after the ninth in scoring position on second base, creating a significant handicap.—
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Milla — a young woman who feels disillusioned by doctors that treat her like a recalcitrant child, directing even conversations about her treatment to her father instead of her — finds false security in quacks selling enemas and juice cleanses.—
Adjective
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Common Mental Health Conditions in Men Depression Depression causes disruptive, uncontrollable feelings of sadness and emptiness.—
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Already, we are haunted by the specters of nuclear warfare and uncontrollable climate change.—
Adjective
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The willful reluctance of Western policymakers to recognize the importance of cognitive warfare carries the risk of irreversible losses in power and influence worldwide, the key factors that determine strategic outcomes in global competition.—
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The benefit of that confusion, if there can be any, is that the penalty regime in the Corporate Transparency Act itself only applies to willful behavior.—
Cite this Entry
“Wayward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wayward. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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