What does willpower mean?
Willpower is the capacity to exercise deliberate self-control, especially when temptation or difficulty makes restraint difficult. It suggests both determination and the ability to persist without yielding to impulse, fear, or convenience. In ordinary use it is closely associated with refusing something tempting: resisting an extra snack, finishing difficult work despite fatigue, or maintaining a habit. The word is usually treated as an uncountable noun and carries a broadly positive connotation. It may imply steadiness and moral discipline rather than mere stubbornness, although context determines the tone. Willpower is often discussed as a limited personal resource that can strengthen with practice and weaken under stress. It is also useful in figurative language, where it describes a group's resolve or a situation's apparent power to resist change. Its compact compound form makes the idea memorable: will provides intention, while power supplies the force needed to carry that intention into action.
nounThe capacity to control impulses, resist temptation, or sustain determined effort, especially in difficult circumstances.
- The capacity to control or resist impulses, temptation, and difficult circumstances through determined effort.
"It took tremendous willpower to ignore the distraction and finish the work."
"Her willpower carried her through the final stages of the race."
"He used every ounce of willpower to keep a straight face during the interview."
The plural is uncommon because willpower is normally treated as an uncountable noun.
"Psychologists distinguish different kinds of willpower, including self-control and endurance."
Willpower literally joins an Old English will to a Romance power: intention joined with the force to act on it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does willpower come from?
Willpower is a compound formed from “will” and “power.” “Will” comes from Old English will, meaning desire or intention, and is related to Latin voluntas, the source of words such as voluntary and volition. “Power” entered English through Old French from Latin, denoting capacity, ability, or strength. The compound thus combines Germanic intention with a Latin-derived conception of force or capacity.
How willpower is actually used
Willpower is normally used as an uncountable noun, especially in phrases such as “strong,” “great,” or “tremendous” willpower. It generally has a positive connotation of disciplined self-control, although it can sometimes suggest stubbornness. The plural “willpowers” is uncommon.