-lē, -li adjective
( often -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English unreuly, from un- (I) + reuly, ruly amenable to rule, disciplined, from reule rule + -y (adjective suffix) — more at rule
1. : not readily ruled, disciplined, or managed : turbulent , uncontrollable
began his greatest editorial effort, his battle royal with that stubborn and unruly writer — Harrison Smith
could imagine no such unruly urgence in man's perfect estate — J.H.Robinson †1936
2. : stormy , tempestuous , wild
cleared the land, dug ditches and dammed unruly streams — American Guide Series: Arizona
Synonyms:
ungovernable , intractable , refractory , recalcitrant , willful , headstrong : unruly calls attention to lack of being disciplined; it may suggest incapacity for discipline, turbulence, disorder, or waywardness
unruly children
a wrought-iron collar with three bells attached, used to subdue an unruly or runaway slave — American Guide Series: Louisiana
with judicious officers the most unruly seamen can at sea be kept in some sort of subjection — Herman Melville
ungovernable centers attention on the fact of not being governed, subdued, restrained, or checked; it may apply to whatever has never been subdued or to whatever has thrown off control
in the case of a consistently obstreperous and ungovernable slave, he should be sold rather than lashed — C.G.Bowers
intractable may suggest a stubborn disposition to resist guidance or restraint
inclined to display a savage, domineering and intractable temper — Robert Graves
to submit to authority — human nature even then remaining so intractable that the only assurance of safety against its marauding instincts is subjection to sovereignty — John Dewey
refractory may connote manifest resistance and rebelliousness, disobedience, and protest
lawlessness is a term applied to the behavior of a social group which is considered to be consistently refractory and to be habitually breaking important legal rules — Jerome Frank
some of them again became most refractory, breathing nothing but downright mutiny — Herman Melville
recalcitrant may suggest determined resistance, temperamental defiance to authority, or obstinate rebellion
some trouble about a recalcitrant miner who wanted to quit work. He shouted something about being a free man. When I ordered him to work, he rushed at me with his pick — John Steinbeck
the establishment and maintenance of any orderly state generally involves the extermination of some of the recalcitrant opposition — M.R.Cohen
willful implies determination to have one's own will, sometimes capricious, and to flout authority or wise guidance in achieving it
willful men whom even the common frontier perils cannot reconcile or make tolerant — V.L.Parrington
peevish because he called her and she did not come, and he threw his bowl of tea on the ground like a willful child — Pearl Buck
headstrong may suggest obdurate and mulish self-will impatient of restraint, advice, or suggestion
testy and headstrong through an excess of will and bias — R.W.Emerson
headstrong enough to make it a very difficult task for him to manage her — Anthony Trollope