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Petulant vs Wayward - What's the difference?

petulant | wayward |

As adjectives the difference between petulant and wayward

is that petulant is exuberant, lively while wayward is given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray.

petulant

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • childishly irritable
    • Lack of sleep is causing Dave's recent petulant behavior.
  • (obsolete) forward; pert; insolent; wanton.
    • (Burton)

    Synonyms

    * huffy * snappish * irritable * grouchy * bad-tempered * ill-tempered * crabby

    Antonyms

    * easygoing

    wayward

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
  • obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
  • (sports) not on target
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=September 2 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Bulgaria 0-3 England , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Bulgaria's only attacking weapon was the wayward shooting of Martin Petrov, whereas England's attacking options were awash with movement in the shape of Rooney, Young and Walcott.}}