Docile and Willful

Opposite meaning words

Docile adjective - Readily giving in to the command or authority of another.

Usage example: a docile young pony that went wherever it was led

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Willful is an antonym for docile.

Nearby Word: docility

Willful adjective - Given to resisting authority or another's control.

Usage example: a particularly willful horse that took weeks to break to saddle

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Docile is an antonym for willful.

Nearby Words: willed, willfulness, willfully

Cite this Source

Willful and Docile. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/docile/willful

Docile & Willful. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/docile/willful>.

Willful or Docile. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/docile/willful.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "docile" and "willful" have occurred on timeline