Meaning & use
strong-willed personality
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A character type marked by firm determination and a refusal to be easily influenced by others.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a' or 'the' when referring to a specific instance: She has a strong-willed personality.
Patterns
- have a strong-willed personality
- a strong-willed personality type
Her strong-willed personality made her a natural leader in group projects.
People with a strong-willed personality often resist being told what to do.
He has a strong-willed personality, so he rarely gives up on a goal.
nouncountable
A person who consistently shows determination and independence in their actions.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'a' to refer to one person: He is a strong-willed personality.
Patterns
- be a strong-willed personality
- known as a strong-willed personality
She is a strong-willed personality who never backs down from a challenge.
The team needed a strong-willed personality to push the project forward.
As a strong-willed personality, he often clashed with his more cautious colleagues.
Word forms
| plural | strong-willed personalities |
|---|
Common combinations
- strong-willed child
- The strong-willed child refused to eat anything green.
- strong-willed leader
- A strong-willed leader can inspire loyalty but may ignore advice.
- strong-willed individual
- She is a strong-willed individual who trusts her own judgment.
- strong-willed nature
- His strong-willed nature sometimes made compromise difficult.
Synonyms and how they differ
- determined
- Focuses on having a firm purpose; 'strong-willed' emphasizes resistance to outside influence.
- headstrong
- Suggests stubbornness and a lack of caution; 'strong-willed' is more neutral or positive.
- resolute
- Formal and often implies a firm decision; 'strong-willed' describes a lasting trait.
Opposites
Word family
- strong-willed adjective
- Having a determined and independent character.
- willpower noun
- The ability to control one's impulses and persist in a task.
Commonly confused: strong-willed personality or strong personality? strong-willed personality or self-willed?
strong-willed personality vs strong personality
Refers to someone with a forceful presence, not necessarily determination; 'strong-willed' is about willpower.
strong-willed personality vs self-willed
Means obstinately doing what one wants, often with a negative tone; 'strong-willed' can be positive.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'strong-willed personality' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 correctly uses 'a strong-willed personality' as a countable noun phrase meaning a determined character. Option 1 is grammatical but awkward because 'a strong-willed personality' usually refers to a person, not a temporary state. Option 2 misuses the phrase as a verb. Option 3 applies the phrase to an inanimate object, which is not standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “strong-willed personality”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.