willfulness
- noun
- /ˈwɪl.fəl.nəs/
- US
- The child's willfulness often gets her in trouble at school for not listening to her teacher.
And I think there's something about the tension between, you know, willfulness.
- And I think there's something about the tension between, you know, willfulness.
- And so they fantasize about putting all of that willfulness into the arena on their behalf.
Examples
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In fact your willfulness is a great part of your charm.
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Was it out of willfulness or out of stupidity you let this man see you?
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Not out of willfulness, but because I can't not do this work you taught me to love.
Fiction book (1993) -
Can there be something beyond the constructivism and willfulness of modern civilization?
Academic text (1995) -
And so they fantasize about putting all of that willfulness into the arena on their behalf.
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It's just your willfulness.
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I understand your feelings... ...but it is said that rashness, willfulness and recklessness all lead to ruin.
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They are willful, certainly, but then... who are you and I to complain of willfulness?
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While farming follows a rigid schedule of planting and exploitation, nomadism requires constant decisions and initiative, which instill willfulness and independence.
Academic text (2008) -
The discrepancies that exist in the functioning of the LD/G individual are often attributed to laziness, inattentiveness, and willfulness.
Academic text (1992)
Synonyms
Refusing to change your mind or actions even when there are good reasons
Refusing to change your mind or actions even when others ask you to
Being stubborn and refusing to change your mind
A tendency to be easily annoyed and hard to control
A tendency to be difficult to control and to disobey rules
A strong wish to do things your own way even when others tell you not to
Not being able to control yourself or follow rules
Antonyms
How Willful
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word willfulness comes from the simple English word will meaning 'desire' or 'choice', plus the endings -ful and -ness that together mean 'full of will'. So, willfulness describes someone who acts on their own wishes — often being stubborn or refusing to follow others' rules.