wayward

[wey-werd]

adjective

1. turned or turning away from what is right or proper; willful; disobedient.

   a wayward son; wayward behavior.

   Synonyms: intractable, refractory, unruly, obstinate, stubborn, headstrong, contrary

2. swayed or prompted by caprice; capricious.

   a wayward impulse; to be wayward in one's affections.

3. turning or changing irregularly; irregular.

   a wayward breeze.

   Synonyms: changeable, inconstant, unsteady

wayward

/ ˈweɪwəd /

adjective

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

2. capricious, erratic, or unpredictable

Other Word Forms

• waywardly adverb
• waywardness noun
• unwayward adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wayward¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of wayward¹

C14: changed from awayward turned or turning away

Synonym Study

See willful.

Example Sentences

“I’ve told you stories of these creatures that hunt wayward children at night.”

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Margaret had nearly gotten all the wayward yellow ringlets pinned into place, but at her well-intended reply, Lady Constance spun ’round in a panic and the pins went flying.

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She remembered how desperately she had tried to find them, and how convinced she was that the Incorrigibles were about to make a gruesome snack of the poor wayward squirrel.

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But Sister had a wayward eye—it didn’t look straight.

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The House of Windsor normally prefers semi-enforced exile in order to humble wayward members.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• capricious 
• delinquent 
• errant 
• erratic 
• headstrong 
• rebellious 
• recalcitrant 
• unruly