wayward

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈweɪwɜrd/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Difficult to control or predict because of unusual or perverse behavior; disobedient and unpredictable.; Turning away from what is right, proper, or expected; deviating from the correct course.; Capricious or unpredictable; governed by whim rather than reason.; Going astray; lost or wandering off the intended path.; Perverse or contrary; stubbornly resistant to guidance or correction.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Comparative: more wayward Superlative: most wayward

Collocations

wayward childwayward behaviorwayward youthwayward teenagerwayward sonwayward daughter

Derivatives

waywardlywaywardness

Synonyms

unrulydisobedientheadstrongwillfulcapriciousperverseunpredictable

Antonyms

obedientcompliantdocilewell-behaved

Commonly confused

wayward
EN: 'Wayward' means difficult to control or unpredictable in behavior; it is not related to 'way' in the sense of a path or direction.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember that 'wayward' is a single unhyphenated word. Do not confuse it with 'way word' or misspell it as 'wayword'.

💬 Examples

  1. The wayward child refused to follow any of the rules set by his parents.

  2. The wayward son abandoned his studies to pursue a life of gambling.

  3. The wayward winds made it nearly impossible to sail in a straight line.

  4. A wayward traveler stumbled upon the remote village after losing his map.

  5. Her wayward nature made it difficult for teachers to keep her engaged in class.