wayward

CEFRC1

/ˈweɪwə(ɹ)d/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
adjective
Difficult to control because of independent or disobedient behavior.
02
adjective
Extra detail
Not on target.

Examples

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Deep Dive

Extra meanings

Extra meaning

In context

Fancies are like shadows . . . you can’t cage them, they’re such wayward, dancing things.
He is a brilliant fellow when he chooses to work—one of the brightest intellects of the University, but he is wayward, dissipated, and unprincipled.
The girls classed as first offenders and waywards gave a higher intelligence quotient than the others.

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The word in print, with each source given in full.

He is a brilliant fellow when he chooses to work—one of the brightest intellects of the University, but he is wayward, dissipated, and unprincipled.
1904 June, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “The Adventure of the Three Students”, in The Return of Sherlock Holmes, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., published February 1905, →OCLC
Fancies are like shadows . . . you can’t cage them, they’re such wayward, dancing things.
1909 September, L[ucy] M[aud] Montgomery, “The Pointing of Duty”, in Anne of Avonlea, Boston, Mass.: L[ouis] C[oues] Page & Company, →OCLC, page 66
The Ig Nobel awards are arguably the highlight of the scientific calendar. The prizes, which are the wayward son of the more righteous Nobels, are supposed to reward research that makes people laugh, then think.
2004 October 1, Helen Pilcher, “Laughter in the lab”, in Nature, →DOI
Bulgaria's only attacking weapon was the wayward shooting of Martin Petrov, whereas England's attacking options were awash with movement in the shape of Rooney, Young and Walcott.
2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC
the wild, half-starved youth whom we style incorrigibles, delinquents, and waywards
1908 September 3, “The Real Lindsey”, in Journal of Education

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Shortening of away + -ward.