willpower

American  

[wil-poh-er] / ˈwɪlˌpoʊ ər /

Or will power

noun

1. control of one's impulses and actions; self-control.

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willpower British  

/ ˈwɪlˌpaʊə /

noun

1. the ability to control oneself and determine one's actions

2. firmness of will

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Etymology

Origin of willpower

First recorded in 1870–75; will ² ( def. ) + power ( def. )

Example Sentences

What has changed is her acceptance 2½ years ago that she has a disease, obesity, and that this time around there was something not called “willpower” to help her manage it.

From Los Angeles Times

Strips of text spelling “freestyle,” “defects” and “willpower”—each in a unique color and font—span one corner.

From The Wall Street Journal

And Lee, who took office in June, has provided the political willpower, pushing to triple the government’s budget for AI development for next year to the equivalent of roughly $6.8 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal

He has praised Andrew Tate’s “physical prowess” on social media along with his “willpower and spirit,” calling him “the embodiment of the ancient ideal of excellence.”

From Salon

It had taken all of her willpower not to wipe the wolf slime from her face until she was sure Mama Woof was not watching.

From Literature

Related Words

• firmness
• grit
• self-control
• self-discipline