How to Use willed in a Sentence

willed

adjective
  • How can anyone break through that kind of willed blindness and be seen?
    — Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2019
  • Those with this sign are courageous, strong-willed and carefree.
    — Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2023
  • His strong-willed big sister is not going to take this kindly.
    — Zoe Haylock, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2021
  • She was hardheaded and strong willed, and on her way to be a great woman.
    — Carol Robinson | [email protected], al, 11 June 2020
  • Persistent and strong willed, or else bowed down by his burdens.
    — Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 1 Mar. 2021
  • To see my very strong-willed mother bow down to her was pretty impressive.
    — Bianca Alysse, Men's Health, 28 Sep. 2022
  • Its four members speak not as a unit but as separate, strong-willed voices.
    — Zachary Lewis, cleveland, 13 Mar. 2022
  • Having that tiny bit of choice liberated her strong-willed self.
    — Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2020
  • Yes, the film noir follows the rags-to-riches ascent of a strong-willed single mom.
    — cleveland.com, 2 June 2017
  • Kicking that pricey coffee shop habit takes more than strong-willed commitment.
    — Valerie Nome, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2021
  • Whitlock was a strong-willed fireball of a kid and far from deterred by his circumstances.
    — Dana Hunsinger Benbow, The Indianapolis Star, 2 June 2020
  • What rang really true was the butting of heads and the strong-willed nature of those two characters.
    — Michael Ordona, latimes.com, 15 Feb. 2018
  • These signs of human will alongside the self-willed can feel like interruptions.
    — Boyce Upholt, Outside Online, 27 Mar. 2020
  • Clarisse is a strong-willed and competitive fighter who doesn’t let much stand in the way of her winning.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 21 June 2022
  • Behind a strong willed business demeanor, however, lay a heart of gold.
    — Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 23 Nov. 2025
  • Once two strong-willed boys who butted heads in the beginning, the two now work together as equal partners.
    — Krista Torralva, ExpressNews.com, 25 Sep. 2020
  • My tough-willed little girl fell asleep without her thumb, without a cry or complaint for bunny, for more than a month.
    — Laura Johnston, cleveland.com, 6 Aug. 2017
  • Pocahontas inspires us by being a strong-willed person who wants to follow their own path in life.
    — Courtney Campbell, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2021
  • Like the Gilmore girls, Emily is strong-willed and refuses to let anything get in the way of her schemes.
    — Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2020
  • So, to identify with all three can become overwhelming for even the strongest-willed person.
    — Okla Jones, Essence, 9 June 2022
  • Sorokin had a brilliant season that nearly willed the Islanders into the playoffs.
    — Jesse Granger, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Shirine Babb is a strong-willed Mary Hatch, and her courtship with George is treated as a bonding of equals.
    — Christopher Arnott, courant.com, 9 Dec. 2021
  • Cate Blanchett is the strong-willed psychologist who’s onto him, and has a little action of her own going on.
    — Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 10 Feb. 2022
  • And from the beginning, it was overseen by a strong-willed German board that knew well the risks and rewards that came with such a business.
    — Landon Thomas Jr., New York Times, 30 Dec. 2016
  • Toolson made his first five shots in the second half and almost willed TCU to a comeback by himself.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Yet young Tammy Faye is strong-willed and attracted to the church’s ecstatic doings.
    — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2021
  • Many Siamese, for example, can be strong willed and vocal, but there’s no guarantee that every Siamese will be that way.
    — Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 12 June 2017
  • Quickly aware that his weak-willed friend is being tempted to good, Dirk resolves to corrupt and ruin Jacobea.
    — Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 5 June 2019
  • Sánchez plays María Garcia, the steel-willed owner of Dos Estaciones, who holds out, despite a plague and a flood.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 16 Sep. 2022
  • Geniuses need to be ambitious, stubborn and iron-willed, and Erivo plays that version of Franklin with a slow burn that does not waver.
    — San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'willed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: