Standard Lemma guide

wayward

adj · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈweɪwə(ɹ)d/
  • wā'wərd
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪwə(ɹ)d
  • CMU ARPABET: W EY1 W ER0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Given to a wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Obstinate, contrary and unpredictable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: adamant, ardent, grim, bent on, bloody-minded, bullheaded, certain, chronic, confirmed, determined, diehard, dogged, hard-hearted, hard-nosed, hardheaded, headstrong, immovable, incalcitrant, inflexible, irrefragable, insistent, intractable, intransigent, intrepid, inveterate, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, obstreperous, peevish, peremptory, persistent, pertinacious, pigheaded, recalcitrant, refractory, resolute, resolved, rigid, self-willed, stalwart, staunch, steadfast, steady, stubborn, stubborn as a mule, sullen, tenacious, terminal, thran, thwart, tough, truculent, unbending, uncompromising, unyielding, vehement, wilful, willful

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Not on target.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Someone, especially a young woman or girl, who is wayward.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

resistant to guidance or discipline

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Mary Mary quite contrary
  • an obstinate child with a violent temper
  • a perverse mood
  • wayward behavior

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: contrary, obstinate, perverse

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Shortening of away + -ward.

Across languages

Translations

42 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: капризен (kaprizen) — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Bulgarian: своенравен (svoenraven) — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Dutch: eigenzinnig — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Finnish: kuriton — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Finnish: uhmakas — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Finnish: uppiniskainen — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Finnish: niskoitteleva — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • French: déviant — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • German: eigenwillig — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • German: eigensinnig — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • German: launisch — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Greek: ιδιότροπος (idiótropos) — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Italian: contrario — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Italian: ribelle — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Italian: ostinato — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Italian: disobbediente — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Latin: inconstans — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Māori: kapa — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Māori: tīhoihoi — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Persian: خودسر (xodsar) — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Portuguese: desobediente — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Slovak: zcestný — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Spanish: desobediente — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Spanish: caprichoso — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Spanish: díscolo — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Swedish: egensinnig — given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • Bulgarian: опак (opak) — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • Bulgarian: непокорен (nepokoren) — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • Finnish: arvaamaton — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • Finnish: oikutteleva — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • Finnish: omapäinen — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • French: rebelle — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • German: widerspenstig — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • German: unberechenbar — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • German: ungeraten — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • German: eigenwillig — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • Irish: dochomhairleach — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • Komi-Permyak: аскоддя (askodďa) — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • Polish: nieobliczalny — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • Russian: своенравный (svojenravnyj) — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • Swedish: opålitlig — obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • German: ziellos — not on target
Real reading context

wayward in complete knowledge articles

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls Literature & books · Developing · 9 uses