self-will

Meaning

The quality of being willful and ignoring opposition.

Synonyms

obstinacy

stubbornness

willfulness

self-command

pigheadedness

bullheadedness

possession

self-control

self-possession

wayward

willpower

will power

obstinance

capricious

arrogance

disobedience

volition

acting as one likes

wilful

wilfulness

mulishness

obduracy

obdurateness

insubordination

obstinateness

will

independence

Etymology

From Middle English self-wil, self-wille, from Old English sylfwill, selfwill, selfwille (“self-will”), from Proto-West Germanic *selbawilljō, from Proto-Germanic *selbawiljô (“self-will”), equivalent to self- + will. Cognate with Old High German selbwillo, selpwillo, Old Norse sjalfvili.