1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
had always been the most wayward of their three children
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Even your grimy London suburb feels unsettling, but then again, it’s plagued by spooky goings-on: disappearances, violence, and wayward theories (specifically from your friend Marty) that there’s a demonic element to it all.
—
Matt Gardner, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
The handsome actor who starred as Jake Cutter in ABC’s adventure series, Tales of the Gold Monkey, and Diane Keaton’s wayward husband in the hit feature film, The First Wives Club, was perhaps best known for his role as wholesome pastor and dad Eric Camden on the WB series, 7th Heaven.
—Kc Baker, People.com, 5 Mar. 2025
The Trump administration is making a bold and principled attempt to restore these wayward bodies to the control of the executive branch.
—Robert J. Delahunty, National Review, 3 Mar. 2025
Even if Liverpool’s finishing has sometimes been wayward, their prowess has normally proven decisive.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Matt Gardner, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
The handsome actor who starred as Jake Cutter in ABC’s adventure series, Tales of the Gold Monkey, and Diane Keaton’s wayward husband in the hit feature film, The First Wives Club, was perhaps best known for his role as wholesome pastor and dad Eric Camden on the WB series, 7th Heaven.
—Kc Baker, People.com, 5 Mar. 2025
The Trump administration is making a bold and principled attempt to restore these wayward bodies to the control of the executive branch.
—Robert J. Delahunty, National Review, 3 Mar. 2025
Even if Liverpool’s finishing has sometimes been wayward, their prowess has normally proven decisive.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wayward
Adjective
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But in 1862, Congress declared that any slave with a rebellious master who reached federal lines would be free.—
Barbara Spindel,
The Christian Science Monitor,
12 Mar. 2025
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Mickey, tasked with keeping her rebellious sister in line, never had the opportunity to be a kid.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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One daughter, loving but stubborn, leaves for Vilna to study nursing.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2025
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The true top is still stubborn, though: In 2023 women made up just over 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs, 9% of the FTSE CEOs, and 5.4% of CEOs of the S&P Global Broad Market Index.—
Kweilin Ellingrud,
TIME,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The attacks started this week after reports emerged that Assad loyalists had ambushed and killed members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – the rebel group that spearheaded the rebellion that ousted the former Syrian leader.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
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The singer and the songwriter traversed the frontlines of the urban guerrilla war that had consumed the city of Homs by that point, with one half of the city overtaken by regime soldiers and the other half controlled by rebel groups.—
Jawad Rizkallah,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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After being yelled at, children often feel defiant, defensive, and disconnected from their parent.—
Daryl Austin,
Parents,
14 Mar. 2025
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Their bleeding champion — at the time a former and future president — raises a defiant fist.—
John Scott Lewinski,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But Mayhem is about using music as archeology to excavate unruly parts of one’s own identity.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2025
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The eight-episode Season 1 of The Franchise followed the crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Bismarck had a reputation as a wily man who could potentially bring the recalcitrant Lower House to heel.—
Christine Adams / Made by History,
TIME,
13 Mar. 2025
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Still, this initial success against such a recalcitrant tumor has broader implications for using personalized mRNA vaccines to target other common tumors that have so far been resistant to other kinds of immunotherapy, Balachandran says.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Twin Cities,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Joking was her version of uncontrollable tears, but Dr. Fenton neither laughed nor pressed to see what was behind Lilian’s inane laughter.—
Yiyun Li,
The New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2025
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Separating benefits from employee health also allows businesses to escape uncontrollable, often double-digit, group plan renewals.—
Jack Hooper,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Part of this containment strategy is to stop Chinese company transshipments through Canada and Mexico from engaging in willful U.S. tariff evasion.—
Jason Schenker,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
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Beyond market returns: Time and consistency are essential Given the willful chaos and uncertainty being generated by the Trump administration, there is no telling what the markets and the US economy will do in the foreseeable future.—
Jeanne Sahadi,
CNN,
6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wayward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wayward. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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