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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wayward
His sprawling hands corralled loose balls and wayward shots with ease.
—
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Set in the Badlands of South Dakota, Tabatha, a young, rebellious rancher, who rescues and resells horses, must make hard decisions to deal with her fractured family, financial uncertainty, and unresolved grief, all while providing refuge for a group of wayward neighborhood teens.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 May 2025
King Charles, while maintaining a private, familial relationship, is in the same camp but does have a special agreement that allows his wayward brother to attend private family luncheons… but no more public processions or official duties.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
Rather than trying to eliminate leaf miners, focus on keeping your lemon tree healthy by fertilizing it as needed, watering it deeply during prolonged drought, and properly pruning broken and wayward branches.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Set in the Badlands of South Dakota, Tabatha, a young, rebellious rancher, who rescues and resells horses, must make hard decisions to deal with her fractured family, financial uncertainty, and unresolved grief, all while providing refuge for a group of wayward neighborhood teens.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 May 2025
King Charles, while maintaining a private, familial relationship, is in the same camp but does have a special agreement that allows his wayward brother to attend private family luncheons… but no more public processions or official duties.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
Rather than trying to eliminate leaf miners, focus on keeping your lemon tree healthy by fertilizing it as needed, watering it deeply during prolonged drought, and properly pruning broken and wayward branches.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for wayward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wayward
Adjective
-
The chancellor is caught between febrile bond markets worried about government debt levels across advanced economies and rebellious Labour lawmakers who recently forced the government to pull back on reforms to welfare spending.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
22 July 2025
-
Once Audrey Hepburn was seen in a pair of the prototypical capri pants, everyone wanted to own them, and de Lennart’s hero product was later donned by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor: appreciated for its originally rebellious intentions and modern-woman appeal.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
Beneath its surface were deep, dark scars—grooves cut through the rock by old lava flows, now overgrown with stubborn green.—
Tess Moormans,
Travel + Leisure,
27 July 2025
-
The fizzing reaction can help remove stubborn residues.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
27 July 2025
Adjective
-
Celebrate The Tradition Of Red Dirt Music Stillwater is considered the home of Red Dirt music, a gritty blend of rebel country, bluegrass, rock, and storytelling.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
31 July 2025
-
An Islamic State affiliate killed more than 40 churchgoers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a region already beset by government clashes with a separate rebel group.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
On Monday, asked about the poll proposal at an unrelated event, Adams was defiant.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
-
Trump's defiant response in Butler, Penn., may have fueled his big Election Day gains among male voters.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The vaunting acclaim the retrospective elicited seems largely unwarranted, though in several brilliant sequences scattered throughout his work, the unruly Rozier achieved an impulsive kind of mastery.—
James Quandt,
The New York Review of Books,
31 July 2025
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Despite the unruly acronym, these trucks, vans, and buses play an important role in increasing business efficiency while cutting down on emissions.—
Earl Carr,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
Whitmer and recalcitrant lawmakers deserve an equal share of the blame for the lame duck flameout.—
M.L. Elrick,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
-
Trustees recently discussed options, including trying to convince the four recalcitrant property owners to share in the cost of replacing the lines.—
Mike Nolan,
Chicago Tribune,
16 July 2025
Adjective
-
In addition to the intense, sometimes uncontrollable itching, hives can also burn, sting and swell.—
Elizabeth Yuko,
Flow Space,
23 July 2025
-
The model can be hard to scale or standardize, particularly for agencies with diverse service offerings, and there’s the risk that comes with uncontrollable external factors hindering outcomes.—
Jacquelyn LaMar Berney,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
That range depends heavily on whether the infringement is deemed willful.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
29 July 2025
-
The filing argued that the defense's choice of an inadequate extraction method, followed by the return of the phone to the driver, who continued to use it like normal, constituted willful destruction of evidence.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wayward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wayward. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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