Wayward

Pronunciation: /ˈweɪwərd/

Definitions of wayward

adjective given to or marked by willful, often perverse deviation from what is desired, expected, or required

Example Sentences

A1 The wayward puppy kept running off and getting lost.

A2 The wayward child refused to listen to his parents and caused trouble.

B1 The wayward teenager struggled to follow rules and authority figures.

B2 Her wayward behavior led to her being expelled from school.

C1 The wayward politician's controversial decisions caused a lot of debate.

C2 Despite his wayward past, he eventually turned his life around and became successful.

Examples of wayward in a Sentence

formal The wayward student was constantly getting into trouble for not following school rules.

informal My wayward cat keeps sneaking out of the house when I'm not looking.

slang That wayward driver almost caused an accident by swerving in and out of lanes.

figurative Her wayward thoughts led her down a path of self-destruction.

Grammatical Forms of wayward

• past tense: waywarded
• plural: waywards
• comparative: more wayward
• superlative: most wayward
• present tense: waywards
• future tense: will be wayward
• perfect tense: have waywarded
• continuous tense: is being wayward
• singular: wayward
• positive degree: wayward
• infinitive: to wayward
• gerund: waywarding
• participle: waywarded

Origin and Evolution of wayward

First Known Use: 1300 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'wayward' originated from Middle English, combining 'way' and 'ward' to mean turning or tending in a particular direction.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'wayward' evolved to describe someone who is headstrong or disobedient, deviating from the expected or normal course of action.