strong-willed
Americanadjective
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having a powerful will; resolute.
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stubborn; obstinate.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of strong-willed
First recorded in 1895–1900
Explanation
Someone strong-willed doesn’t give up easily. A strong-willed person is determined. Your will is your desire or drive to do something, so a strong-willed person is someone with a powerful will. This can be positive or negative. A child who insists on going to the zoo in the rain is strong-willed in a stubborn way. Someone with deep beliefs is strong-willed in a better way. A hero — or anyone who shows courage — is strong-willed. You have to be strong-willed to stand up for what you believe in during difficult situations.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His mother, Laura, was the backbone of the family: strong-willed and devoutly Methodist.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
Some companies have had such strong-willed and influential founders that they could make bold bets without giving themselves extra votes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 2026
It didn’t take long to recognize that the core of the hearing would be an honor dispute between two strong-willed men.
From Slate ● Mar. 18, 2026
Luckily, Emily Blunt wasn’t just brave enough to turn in a decent performance in one of last year’s worst movies, but so strong-willed she called out this awful trend.
From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2026
He was a strong-willed man, but the dog was strong-willed, too.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
