headstrong •\ˈhed-ˌstrȯŋ\• adjective : habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition The word headstrong has appeared in 48 New York Times articles in the past year, including on May 24 in the Civil War-focused Disunion blog post "Lt. Knox Carries on His Friend's Legacy" by Ronald S. Coddington: Waves of sorrow and indignation rippled across the Northern states in the wake of the fatal shooting of Elmer Ellsworth, a charismatic young colonel who had built a national following in the early days of the war only to be shot dead by an Alexandria, Va., innkeeper on May 24. But few felt the loss as keenly as his trusted lieutenant and friend Edward Knox. Ellsworth's death made news across the country. Teenage girls wept; young men vowed revenge. He quickly became the perfect martyr for the Union: a passionate man cut down so young, and so dramatically, in defense of so just a cause. Knox added that Ellsworth "was impetuous and headstrong, uneasy under restraint; yet, with a few months" service under the guidance of older and cooler heads, and his indomitable will and determination to succeed in anything he attempted, there seems good reason to believe that had his life been spared he would have achieved a brilliant career." Learn more about the word "headstrong" and see usage examples across a range of subjects on the Vocabulary dictionary.