obstinate Hear it!

obstinate Definition

ob·sti·nate (äb′stə nət)

adjective

  1. unreasonably determined to have one's own way; not yielding to reason or plea; stubborn; dogged; mulish
  2. resisting remedy or treatment an obstinate fever
  3. not easily subdued, ended, etc.

Etymology: ME < L obstinatus, pp. of obstinare, to resolve on < obstare, to stand against, oppose < ob- (see ob-) + stare, to stand

Related Forms:

obstinate Synonyms

obstinate

modif.

stubborn, firm, headstrong, dogged, pertinacious, opinionated, strong-minded, contumacious, opinionative, contradictory, inflexible, positive, perverse, contrary, cantankerous, unimpressible, determined, convinced, resolved, indomitable, adamant, intractable, crotchety, obdurate, self-willed, refractory, unamenable, unalterable, unconquerable, restive, unflinching, unyielding, unbending, immovable, tenacious, decided, heady, unmanageable, bull-headed, mulish, pigheaded, plucky, sulky, case-hardened, fixed, stiff-necked, callous, hard, hardened, relentless, recalcitrant, unrelenting, resistant, repulsive, willful, unwavering, prejudiced, biased, bigoted, dogmatic, unreasonable, unreasoning, hellbent*, die-hard*, set in one's ways*; see also resolute 2.

Antonyms docile*, submissive*, amenable.

obstinate applies to one who adheres persistently, and often unreasonably, to a purpose, course, etc., against argument or persuasion a panel hung by an obstinate juror; stubborn implies a strong, even innate, resistance to change or manipulation of purpose, course, condition, etc. a stubborn child, a stubborn belief in astrology; dogged implies thoroughgoing determination or, sometimes, sullen obstinacy the dogged pursuit of a goal; pertinacious implies a strong tenacity of purpose that is regarded unfavorably by others a pertinacious critic

obstinate Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • so: No one was ever so ready for argument and, I must add, so obstinate and lovable.
  • very: Rev. Guest is remembered by the people of New Bradwell as a very obstinate man, a man who was ahead of his time.
  • intensely: The cheap prices of commodities are the heavy artillery with which it forces the barbarians ' intensely obstinate hatred of foreigners to capitulate.
  • sometimes: PUPPETS: Charlie, a delightful little gray mouse is shy, impulsive and sometimes obstinate.
  • quite: They were quite obstinate in their opinions and sneered at my " naïvety " in accepting your bona fides.
  • even: And yet the ' friends of the BWC ' have proved themselves a tenacious, even obstinate, bunch of people.

Modifies a noun

  • refusal: This spirit seems to have arisen as an obstinate refusal to admit that things were bad.
  • resistance: Settlement Of Spartan Affairs At last the obstinate resistance came to an end.
  • man: Blair is an obstinate man, clinging to a guitar twanging Christianity in the face of a public opinion.
  • defense: His reputation was made by his obstinate defense of the castle of Chinon in 1205.
  • people: Hick thinks his proof is adequate but that obstinate people will not accept it as a proof.
  • rebellion: Let such a one see that obstinate rebellion against the will of God is damnation to personality.

Used with adjective complement

  • remain: When the waiting women enumerate the drawbacks to her position of absolute guilt, she remains obstinate in her conviction of her own responsibility.
  • prove: In my experience arguments which are about money usually get solved in the end; it is arguments about principle which prove most obstinate.
obstinate Quotes

   The liberally educated person is one who is able to resist the easy and preferred answers, not because he is obstinate but because he knows others worthy of consideration.

—Bloom, Allan

   She was stricken with most obstinate love to a young man.

—Shute, Nevil originally Nevil Shute Norway