WAYWARD Synonyms: 142 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'wayward' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of wayward are balky , contrary , perverse , and restive . While all these words mean "inclined to resist authority or control," wayward suggests strong-willed capriciousness and irregularity in behavior. // a school for wayward youths

Q: When can 'balky' be used instead of 'wayward'?

The synonyms balky and wayward are sometimes interchangeable, but balky suggests a refusing to proceed in a desired direction or course of action. // a balky witness

Q: When would 'contrary' be a good substitute for 'wayward'?

The meanings of contrary and wayward largely overlap; however, contrary implies a temperamental unwillingness to accept orders or advice. // a contrary child

Q: When might 'perverse' be a better fit than 'wayward'?

While the synonyms perverse and wayward are close in meaning, perverse may imply wrongheaded, determined, or cranky opposition to what is reasonable or normal. // a perverse , intractable critic

Q: In what contexts can 'restive' take the place of 'wayward'?

The words restive and wayward are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, restive suggests unwillingness or inability to submit to discipline or follow orders. // tired soldiers growing restive

wayward

adjective

ˈwā-wərd

Definition of wayward

as in rebellious

given to resisting authority or another's control had always been the most wayward of their three children

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective wayward contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of wayward are balky, contrary, perverse, and restive. While all these words mean "inclined to resist authority or control," wayward suggests strong-willed capriciousness and irregularity in behavior.

a school for wayward youths

When can balky be used instead of wayward?

The synonyms balky and wayward are sometimes interchangeable, but balky suggests a refusing to proceed in a desired direction or course of action.

a balky witness

When would contrary be a good substitute for wayward?

The meanings of contrary and wayward largely overlap; however, contrary implies a temperamental unwillingness to accept orders or advice.

a contrary child

When might perverse be a better fit than wayward?

While the synonyms perverse and wayward are close in meaning, perverse may imply wrongheaded, determined, or cranky opposition to what is reasonable or normal.

a perverse, intractable critic

In what contexts can restive take the place of wayward?

The words restive and wayward are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, restive suggests unwillingness or inability to submit to discipline or follow orders.

tired soldiers growing restive

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of wayward Dozens of Russian drone incursions into Romanian airspace have occasionally caused damage and forced Romania to respond with costly fighter jet interceptions to shoot down some of the wayward drones. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026 Chef, a mentor to the wayward Tony, represents several people who were formative for Bourdain, including the cook and writer Howard Mitcham. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026 In Season 2, a boxer on the rise named Danny Moon (Jin Ha) hires Sugar to find his missing, wayward brother, Ji-Seok (Raymond Lee). — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026 Earlier this week, a piece of a SpaceX rocket joined the ranks of space rocks and other wayward spacecraft that have slammed into the moon and become permanent fixtures of our celestial neighbor's surface. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wayward

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wayward

Adjective

Its central character, Missie, a rebellious young woman who joins military intelligence, was inspired by Sue, who died in 2023 at age 99.

— Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Follow rebellious 16-year-old Holden Caufield to New York City in Catcher in the Rye, in a tale that will evoke both humor and empathy from readers in equal measure.

— Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of rebellious

Adjective

The outbreak is unfolding in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable, with rebel threats and intense population movements.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Trump has increasingly embraced Sharaa, the former commander of al Qaeda’s Nusra Front who broke ties with the global jihadist network in 2016 and led the rebel coalition that overthrew Assad.

— Reuters, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of rebel

Adjective

Heavy Metal earned raves for its unruly combination of intimate songwriting, feverish emotion and left-field ambition, and the Carnegie Hall performance put that material in a setting almost comically grand enough to match its scale.

— SPIN Staff, SPIN, 19 Aug. 2026
Verano centers on an unruly teen whose plans for a carefree summer are disrupted when his parents welcome an asylum seeker into their home.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of unruly

Adjective

Brian is a gee-whiz irritant, with a reckless attachment to the family’s conveniently recalcitrant dog and a knack for making dangerous situations worse.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Part of the problem is that, outside of their tenants’ pleas, landlords face neither any real pressure nor any legal requirement to install shutters and ceiling fans; even owners who want to do so are thwarted by recalcitrant co-op boards or finicky historic-preservation reviews.

— Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026

Definition of recalcitrant

Adjective

The gist is to live only in the present, not revel in previous success nor wallow in failure, and not to be concerned with what uncontrollable things could happen next.

— Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
Officers testified that Miller was resisting arrest and uncontrollable.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of uncontrollable

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“Wayward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wayward. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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