willpower

/ˈwɪlpaʊə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈɪlpˌaʊɚ] /ˈwɪlpaʊər/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈɪlpˌaʊɚ] /ˈwil-ˌpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce willpower (audio)/ (ame, mw)

willpower — 名詞

1. the mental strength that lets you do something hard, or stop yourself doing some

1.名詞B2
釋義

意志力

抗拒誘惑或撐過困難的心理力量

the mental strength that lets you do something hard, or stop yourself doing something tempting, when it would be easier to give up or give in

例句

Omar used sheer willpower to keep his eyes off the phone during class.

Omar 靠純粹的意志力，才讓自己上課時不去看手機。

use sheer willpower + infinitive to resist temptation

After lunch, Meera needed real willpower not to buy another slice of cake.

吃完午餐後，Meera 得靠很大的意志力，才忍住不去買第二塊蛋糕。

need willpower not to + verb

同義詞
  • self-control

    broader and often used for holding back emotions or behaviour in the moment

  • self-discipline

    stresses habits and routines over time, not just one hard moment

  • determination

    focuses more on staying fixed on a goal through setbacks

反義詞
  • impulsiveness

    acting on sudden wants instead of stopping to think or resist

  • self-indulgence

    the habit of letting yourself have what you want rather than holding back

文法句型

have / use / need + willpower

willpower + to + base verb

it takes / took + willpower + to + base verb

test someone's willpower

用法筆記

Usually uncountable. It often appears with a 'to'-infinitive naming the difficult action ('the willpower to stop smoking') or after verbs such as 'have', 'need', 'use', and 'lack'. Compared with 'self-discipline', it more often describes the mental effort in one difficult moment than a long-term routine.

常見錯誤

❌She has a strong willpowers.
✅She has strong willpower.
💡'willpower' is uncountable, so it does not have a plural form.
❌My willpower made me to stop snacking.
✅My willpower helped me stop snacking.' / 'I had the willpower to stop snacking.
💡use 'willpower to + verb' or verbs like 'have' and 'use', not 'make + object + to-infinitive'.