headstrong

[hed-strawng, -strong] /ˈhɛdˌstrɔŋ, -ˌstrɒŋ/

adjective

determined to have one's own way; willful; stubborn; obstinate:

a headstrong young man.

proceeding from or exhibiting willfulness:

a headstrong course.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English heedstronge. See head, strong

Related forms

headstrongly, adverb

headstrongness, noun

Can be confused

headlong, headstrong.

Synonyms

1. See willful.

Antonyms

1. tractable, docile.

Examples from the web for headstrong

Despite being stubborn and headstrong with her parents, she is kind and courteous to the rest of the world, which is what matters.
He is an impetuous, headstrong workaholic, who is reluctant to delegate.
It's a vigorous, self-confident style of cooking, with an emphasis on headstrong flavors.
And they attract obsessive, difficult, headstrong people fixated on changing the world.
The headstrong president seems unlikely to give any ground.
Her character's confident, headstrong manner is nothing but overbearing.
The government hopes to rein in some of her more headstrong tendencies, but agrees broadly that pragmatism is the way ahead.
But though fortune may favour the brave, it can trip up the headstrong.
headstrong, he declined to follow in his father's footsteps.
And walking dogs, especially large or headstrong ones, can be challenging in any conditions.

British Dictionary definitions for headstrong

/ˈhɛdˌstrɒŋ/

adjective

self-willed; obstinate

(of an action) heedless; rash

Derived Forms

headstrongly, adverb
headstrongness, noun

Word Origin and History for headstrong

adj.

"determined to have one's way," late 14c., from head (n.) + strong. Cf. Old English heafodbald "impudent," literally "head-bold."