wayward

[ wey-werd ]
See synonyms for: waywardwaywardness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. turned or turning away from what is right or proper; willful; disobedient: a wayward son; wayward behavior.

  2. swayed or prompted by caprice; capricious: a wayward impulse; to be wayward in one's affections.

  1. turning or changing irregularly; irregular: a wayward breeze.

Origin of wayward

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; aphetic variant of awayward. See away, -ward

synonym study For wayward

1. See willful.

Other words for wayward

Other words from wayward

  • way·ward·ly, adverb
  • way·ward·ness, noun
  • un·way·ward, adjective

Words Nearby wayward

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How to use wayward in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wayward

wayward

/ (ˈweɪwəd) /


adjective
  1. wanting to have one's own way regardless of the wishes or good of others

  2. capricious, erratic, or unpredictable

Origin of wayward

1
C14: changed from awayward turned or turning away

Derived forms of wayward

  • waywardly, adverb
  • waywardness, noun

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