Word
willed
US/ˈwɪɫd/
UK/wˈɪld/
Definition
adj. having a strong desire to do something or a specific type of personality. It is usually used with another word to describe how someone uses their mind or energy.
adj. having a specified level or type of willpower or determination. Typically appears as the second element in a hyphenated compound (e.g., 'strong-willed', 'self-willed').
Examples
“She is a very strong-willed person who never gives up.”
“The manager is known for being iron-willed when it comes to meeting deadlines and staying under budget.”
“The protagonist is portrayed as a weak-willed individual who is easily manipulated by those around him, leading to his eventual downfall in the final act.”
Examples
simple
“She is a very strong-willed person who never gives up.”
contextual
“The manager is known for being iron-willed when it comes to meeting deadlines and staying under budget.”
complex
“The protagonist is portrayed as a weak-willed individual who is easily manipulated by those around him, leading to his eventual downfall in the final act.”
Usage
Usually functions as a participial adjective in compound forms; rarely used alone in modern English.
Real-World Examples
“I know it sounds strange but I sort of willed myself back."
Fighting the shark felt "like punching a brick wall" but she kept going.” Etymology
From will (noun) + -ed.
See will (verb).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/willed