Synonyms

headstrong

American

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

adjective

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

a headstrong young man.

Antonyms:

docile, tractable
proceeding from or exhibiting willfulness.

a headstrong course.

headstrong British

/ ˈhɛdˌstrɒŋ /

adjective

self-willed; obstinate
(of an action) heedless; rash

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See willful.

Other Word Forms

headstrongly adverb
headstrongness noun

Etymology

Origin of headstrong

First recorded in 1350–1400, headstrong is from the Middle English word heedstronge. See head, strong

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

We don’t yet want to say that the situation has spiraled out of control, but the spiral could be only a couple of headstrong choices away.

From Slate • Mar. 21, 2026

Her dad looks for signs that a match may butt heads with her headstrong personality, while her brother tries to steer her away from older men.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

What if those new military leaders round the table are more headstrong and less cautious than their dead predecessors?

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2025

This classic Eastside story centers Ana García, a headstrong teen with educational aspirations, who is often at odds with her traditional, menopausal Mexican mother, Carmen.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2025

He might have been even more unnerved had he known how skeptically his seniors regarded his headstrong pluck.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023