SELF-WILL

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does self-will mean? 

• SELF-WILL (noun)
  The noun SELF-WILL has 2 senses:

1. resolute adherence to your own ideas or desires

2. the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior

  Familiarity information: SELF-WILL used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SELF-WILL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Resolute adherence to your own ideas or desires

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

bullheadedness; obstinacy; obstinance; pigheadedness; self-will; stubbornness

Hypernyms ("self-will" is a kind of...):

firmness; firmness of purpose; resoluteness; resolution; resolve (the trait of being resolute)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "self-will"):

impenitence; impenitency (the trait of refusing to repent)

intransigence; intransigency (the trait of being intransigent; stubbornly refusing to compromise)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

possession; self-command; self-control; self-possession; self-will; will power; willpower

Hypernyms ("self-will" is a kind of...):

firmness; firmness of purpose; resoluteness; resolution; resolve (the trait of being resolute)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "self-will"):

nerves (control of your emotions)

presence of mind (self-control in a crisis; ability to say or do the right thing in an emergency)

 Context examples 

“Don't you know that they are both mad with their own self-will and pride?”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

There, he had learnt to distinguish between the steadiness of principle and the obstinacy of self-will, between the darings of heedlessness and the resolution of a collected mind.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

“You, resent his self-will!” she exclaimed.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)