willpower
Americannoun
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control of one's impulses and actions; self-control.
noun
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the ability to control oneself and determine one's actions
-
firmness of will
Etymology
Origin of willpower
First recorded in 1870–75; will 2 ( def. ) + power ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s much easier to stock a supportive fridge, prep a few flexible building blocks and make healthy food genuinely delicious than it is to rely solely on willpower.
From Salon • Mar. 9, 2026
As Ro Chief Executive Officer Zach Reitano puts it in an interview: “No one in the world has more willpower than Serena Williams.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026
"We must fight to be truly free, and that can only be achieved through willpower."
From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026
Keeping pre-cut fruit within reach in the refrigerator or placing sweets out of sight can support long-term goals without requiring constant willpower.
From Science Daily • Jan. 5, 2026
It took all of Reyna’s willpower not to glance up.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.