willpowerwill‧pow‧er /ˈwɪlˌpaʊə $ -ˌpaʊr/ noun [uncountable] 
Examples
It took all his willpower to remain calm.
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- It takes a lot of willpower to give up smoking.
- Losing weight is largely a matter of willpower.
- She made herself get better by sheer willpower, when everyone else had given up hope.
- After that, it was all willpower and the result was an extraordinary recovery.
- He recently kicked a lifetime habit as a chain smoker, a typical example of the famous MacSharry willpower, say observers.
- Mind over matter, willpower over reality.
- More importantly, once we start nibbling naughty things our willpower slides down a very slippery slope.
- She was using willpower on us.
- Some children may be submissive to this approach while others fight back and will not have their willpower broken.
- The jersey, which was extra small, had shoulder straps that were hanging on by surface tension and willpower.
THESAURUS► determination
the ability to control your mind and body in order to achieve something that you want to do: the quality of continuing to try to do something, even when it is difficult: · Bill got where he is today by sheer hard work and determination.· I really admired her determination to live her own life.
► willpower the ability to control your mind and body in order to achieve something you have decided to do: · It takes a lot of willpower to give up smoking.· She made herself get better by sheer willpower, when everyone else had given up hope.
► drive the determination and energy to succeed, especially in business or work: · We’re looking for young people who have drive, initiative, and new ideas.· He’s clever enough, but he lacks drive.
► resolve formal a strong determination to succeed in doing something, especially because you are sure that it is a good thing to do: · The poverty she saw there strengthened her resolve to do something to help.· The success of a military enterprise depends partly on the resolve of its leaders.
► perseverance the ability to continue trying to achieve something over a long period in a patient way, even when this is difficult: · Reaching this standard of musical skill requires incredible perseverance.· A good teacher should have imagination and perseverance.
► ruthlessness the quality of being extremely determined to achieve what you want, and not caring if you have to hurt other people to do it: · He was a man who pursued his aims with complete ruthlessness.· The revolt was suppressed with total ruthlessness.
► tenacity formal the determination to never stop trying to do something, especially when other people try to stop you: · He clung to power with a remarkable tenacity.· When fighting cancer, Tsongas showed the same tenacity he displayed in politics.
Longman Language Activatorthe ability to be determined► determination the ability to continue trying to achieve what you want, even when this is difficult: · After the accident, Bill learned to walk again through sheer hard work and determination.determination to do something: · A spokesman stressed the police's determination to find the girl's killer.dogged determination (=strong determination): · Success requires dogged determination, as well as ability.
► ambition determination to become successful, rich, powerful, or famous: · Eric wasn't particularly intelligent but he had plenty of ambition.· My teachers always told me that I lacked ambition, and would never get anywhere.burning ambition: · Getting to the top hadn't been easy, in spite of his burning ambition and will to succeed.
► willpower the ability to control your mind and body in order to achieve whatever you decide to do: · It takes a lot of willpower to give up smoking.by/through sheer willpower (=by willpower alone): · She made herself get better by sheer willpower, when everyone else had given up hope.
► will the strong desire to do or achieve something: the will to live/recover/get better, etc: · When her husband died, she seemed to lose the will to live.the will to do something: · They weren't the best side in the European Cup, but they possessed the will to win.
► resolve formal a strong determination to succeed in doing something especially because you are sure that it is a good thing to do: somebody's resolve to do something: · He restated his firm resolve to become president, and achieve clean and honest government.strengthen/harden/stiffen somebody's resolve (=make it stronger): · The latest unemployment figures should strengthen the government's resolve to do something about it.
► drive the determination and energy that makes you successfully achieve something: · Without my mother's drive and energy, our family would have starved.· He's clever enough, but he lacks drive.
► spirit the courage and energy that someone shows when they are determined to achieve something or determined not to let a difficult situation make them stop trying: · The fact that they reached the semi-final is a reflection of their spirit and commitment.fighting spirit (=brave determination to keep trying or fighting in a difficult situation): · She never once thought of giving up. Everyone admired her fighting spirit.break somebody's spirit (=make them lose their determination to fight, be brave etc): · The hours of interrogations and beatings were designed to break his spirit.
► perseverance the ability to keep on trying to achieve something over a long period, even when this is difficult: · The job requires perseverance and, above all, patience.perseverance to do something: · Some of the girls did not have the perseverance to train to his standards of precision.
► tenacity formal the determination to never stop trying to succeed in something or to allow anyone to stop you from doing something: · I admired him for his tenacity and his courage in confronting problems that other people might avoid.show/exhibit tenacity: · The tenacity and ingenuity shown by these women's groups during the war was remarkable.
It took all his willpower to remain calm.