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
For years, European leaders have fretted about reducing their dependence on a wayward United States.
—
Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
The shorts, led by some wayward sell-side analysts, didn’t realize that Noto is turning this into one of the sainted fintechs out there, like a Block (formerly Square) or a PayPal or an Affirm .
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2025
An unruly pack of wayward youths got a hard lesson in humility, courtesy of a police program that introduced them to a pair of tough-talking convicts played by Kenan Thompson and Eddie Murphy.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 16 Feb. 2025
The new film follows the young Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) after an accidental separation from his parents, when a spirited cub named Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) saves the wayward lion’s life.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Mark Landler, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
The shorts, led by some wayward sell-side analysts, didn’t realize that Noto is turning this into one of the sainted fintechs out there, like a Block (formerly Square) or a PayPal or an Affirm .
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2025
An unruly pack of wayward youths got a hard lesson in humility, courtesy of a police program that introduced them to a pair of tough-talking convicts played by Kenan Thompson and Eddie Murphy.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 16 Feb. 2025
The new film follows the young Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) after an accidental separation from his parents, when a spirited cub named Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) saves the wayward lion’s life.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wayward
Adjective
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Boon will play Eddie Harrigan, Kevin’s rebellious son.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2025
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In addition, parents who are too strict might even end up with kids who are extra rebellious.—
Taylor Grothe,
Parents,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Another type of hyperpigmentation that kojic acid can help with is melasma—a stubborn and hard-to-treat skin condition characterized by splotchy, brown or grayish patches.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
4 Mar. 2025
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But four months after becoming the first Republican in two decades to win the popular vote, Trump faces a new reality of needing to tackle some of the most stubborn challenges awaiting any new president and deliver on his campaign promises to lower prices.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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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Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images A defiant President Trump defended imposing new tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico – three of the United States' largest and most crucial trading partners – at a joint session of Congress Tuesday night.—
Obed Manuel,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
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Trump, in a defiant victory lap speech lasting roughly 100 minutes, credited his predecessor for high inflation and vowed to bring down the costs of everyday goods while previewing further economic pain from new tariffs.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This includes making a claim through their Partner Liability Insurance program, or reporting guests' unruly behavior using their guest misconduct tool.—
Natalia Senanayake,
People.com,
25 Feb. 2025
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Top Five Cryptocurrency Exchanges By Saul Hudson Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member opinion 0 Crypto's spectacle is once again loud and unruly.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Or does so only briefly in the ambiguous ending, when Sofia throws off the last vestiges of her passivity and forces her recalcitrant mother into a reckoning with her condition.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
14 Feb. 2025
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In an interview from a factory floor in El Salvador on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that foreign aid spending does not support U.S. aims and that USAID, the main conduit for foreign assistance, has been recalcitrant.—
ByCatherine Offord,
science.org,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The most dramatic case study occurred this week, when Trump signed two executive orders instituting a tariff regime on goods entering the United States from Canada and Mexico in response to what the White House argues is an uncontrollable scourge of migrants and drugs coming from those countries.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2025
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These high winds, combined with low humidity, have created a significant fire weather risk, with forecasters warning that any ignition could lead to fast-growing, uncontrollable fires.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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On March 19, 2024, Huger was charged with a DUI and DWI on the counts of: negligently driving a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, endangering property, life, and person, as well as recklessly driving a vehicle in wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons and property.—
Gabriela Silva,
TVLine,
26 Feb. 2025
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These misguided concerns are due to a willful ignorance of how and why the city is proposing to structure the payments.—
Pat Dowell,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wayward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wayward. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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