Meaning & use
strong willed person
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Meanings
nouncountable
someone who firmly insists on doing what they want and is not easily persuaded or controlled by others.
Grammar: Countable: a strong-willed person, two strong-willed people.
Patterns
- a strong-willed person
- a strong-willed child
- be strong-willed
She's a strong-willed person who won't change her mind once she's decided something.
Raising a strong-willed child can be exhausting but also rewarding.
He was strong-willed enough to refuse the offer even when everyone else accepted.
adjectivecomparable
determined to do what you want, even when other people disagree or try to stop you.
Grammar: Usually before a noun or after be: a strong-willed leader; she is very strong-willed.
Patterns
- be strong-willed
- a strong-willed leader
- too strong-willed to do something
The team needed a strong-willed captain to keep everyone focused.
My grandmother was strong-willed and never let anyone tell her what to do.
He's too strong-willed to accept help easily.
Word forms
| plural | strong-willed people |
|---|---|
| comparative | more strong-willed |
| superlative | most strong-willed |
Common combinations
- a strong-willed child
- Their strong-willed child refuses to go to bed on time.
- a strong-willed leader
- A strong-willed leader can push through difficult changes.
- strong-willed and independent
- She's strong-willed and independent, so she rarely asks for advice.
- too strong-willed
- He's too strong-willed to admit he was wrong.
Synonyms and how they differ
- determined
- Focuses on having a firm purpose; strong-willed adds the idea of not being controlled by others.
- stubborn
- More negative, suggesting someone refuses to change even when they are wrong; strong-willed can be positive.
- headstrong
- Suggests rushing ahead without listening to advice; strong-willed is more neutral about judgment.
- obstinate
- A stronger, more disapproving word for refusing to change your mind.
Opposites
Word family
- strong-willed adjective
- Having a strong will; determined not to be controlled.
- willpower noun
- The ability to control your own actions and keep going.
- self-willed adjective
- Determined to do what you want, often without considering others.
Commonly confused: strong willed person or strong-willed vs. strong will?
strong willed person vs strong-willed vs. strong will
Strong will is a noun phrase meaning great determination; strong-willed is the adjective describing a person who has it.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
Strong-willed is an adjective, so it needs a hyphen before a noun: a strong-willed person. Option 1 uses the noun phrase strong will incorrectly as an adjective; option 3 is missing the article a; option 4 uses the wrong ending -willing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “strong willed person”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.