restive

/ˈre-stiv/

Middle English restyf, from Anglo-French restif, from rester to stop, resist, remain

adjective

  1. stubbornly resisting control : balky

  2. marked by impatience or uneasiness : fidgety

contrary perverse restive balky wayward mean inclined to resist authority or control. contrary implies a temperamental unwillingness to accept orders or advice. perverse may imply wrongheaded, determined, or cranky opposition to what is reasonable or normal.