obdurate

adjective

ob·du·rate ˈäb-də-rət How to pronounce obdurate (audio)

-dyə-;

äb-ˈdu̇r-ət,

əb-,

-ˈdyu̇r-

: stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing

an unrepentant, obdurate sinner

: hardened in feelings

The obdurate enemy was merciless.

: resistant to persuasion or softening influences

obdurate in his determination

remaining obdurate to her husband's advances

Edith Wharton

obdurately adverb

obdurateness noun

Did you know?

When you are confronted with someone obdurate, you may end up feeling dour. During the encounter, you may find that you need to be durable to keep your sanity intact. Maybe you will find such situations less stressful in the future if you can face them knowing that the words obdurate, dour, and durable are etymological kissing cousins. All of those words trace back to the Latin adjective durus, which means "hard." This adjective can still be found in dura mater, the name for the tough fibrous material that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, which comes from a Medieval Latin phrase meaning, literally, "hard mother."

Example Sentences

He is known for his obdurate determination. the obdurate refusal of the crotchety old man to let the neighborhood kids retrieve their stray ball from his backyard

Recent Examples on the Web But the act has been tied up in the Senate, due to the obdurate opposition of the entire GOP caucus and Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W. Va.).

Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2022 Those are just the most obdurate employers, says David Woods, the union’s secretary-treasurer.

Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2022 She was largely paralyzed from the neck down but just as obdurate as ever, wanting Sri to be the one to feed her, administer her fentanyl patch, bathe her and change her diaper, even though Sri had hired a home health aide to help.

Noy Thrupkaew, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2021 When team members or individual personalities try to be obdurate and disturb the team conversation, the team coach will need to maintain composure under such circumstances.

Jedidiah Alex Koh, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2021 Ink and paint veer between obdurate opacity and delicate transparency.

New York Times, 19 Aug. 2021 The chorus sings of the Plague of Thebes over five darkly screaming chords in the key of B-flat minor, with an obdurate bass line grating against the upper harmonies.

Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 June 2021 By the summer of 1776, all but the most obdurate loyalists on the American continent knew that all-out war between Britain and the American Colonies had arrived.

Steve Donoghue, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2021 France’s defense is stolid and obdurate and miserly.

New York Times, 15 June 2021 See More

obdurate

adjective

as in ruthless

having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings the obdurate refusal of the crotchety old man to let the neighborhood kids retrieve their stray ball from his backyard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

ruthless
merciless
stony
pitiless
hard
oppressive
unsympathetic
remorseless
unmerciful
callous
compassionless
indurate
unfeeling
heartless
cruel
insensate
harsh
inhuman
stern
brutal
abusive
tough
insensitive
malicious
hateful
hard-hearted
soulless
uncharitable
affectless
inhumane
vicious
grim
unsparing
case-hardened
severe
savage
pachydermatous
thick-skinned
boorish
stoney
unfriendly
ironhearted
ungentle
desensitized
uncaring
take-no-prisoners
heedless
thoughtless
cold-blooded
disagreeable
spiteful
inconsiderate
surly
malevolent
unthinking
hard-boiled
stonyhearted
virulent
mean
rough
unloving
brutish
slash-and-burn
barbarous
acrimonious
cold
hard-bitten
rancorous
jackbooted
bestial
austere
ill-tempered
sledgehammer
ill-natured
ironfisted
frosty
heavy-handed
ironhanded
rough-and-tumble
evil-minded
knock-down-and-drag-out
knock-down, drag-out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sympathetic
merciful
benevolent
sensitive
compassionate
benignant
warm
gentle
humane
kindly
kindhearted
charitable
kind
mild
softhearted
gracious
lenient
tender
warmhearted
indulgent
friendly
tolerant
tenderhearted
cordial
clement
affectionate
good-natured
good-tempered
understanding
loving
fond

as in stubborn

sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion an obdurate farmer who could never be convinced to try a different method of fertilization

Synonyms & Similar Words

stubborn
adamant
steadfast
hardened
intransigent
obstinate
implacable
unyielding
unbending
wilful
mulish
pertinacious
immovable
unrelenting
inflexible
adamantine
uncompromising
hardheaded
willful
pigheaded
headstrong
dogged
ossified
persistent
bullheaded
obsessive
opinionated
hard
perverse
stiff-necked
determined
relentless
hard-nosed
pat
self-willed
strict
self-opinionated
tenacious
inexorable
rigid
inconvincible
defiant
iron
unflinching
stern
recalcitrant
wrongheaded
wayward
contumacious
severe
cantankerous
uncooperative
intractable
deaf to reason
hidebound
resolved
refractory
bloody-minded
indomitable
mutinous
firm
disobedient
unconquerable
unmanageable
single-minded
insubordinate
contrary
inveterate
invincible
unruly
ungovernable
stouthearted
anal-retentive
hard-line
unregenerate
narrow-minded
hell-bent
cussed
insurgent
froward
hard-shelled
exacting
demanding
confirmed
set
hard-shell

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

acquiescent
pliant
agreeable
pliable
amenable
compliant
docile
flexible
obedient
complying
tractable
yielding
submissive
receptive
placable
relenting
responsive
accepting
willing
reasonable
temperate
subservient
persuadable
slavish
governable
manageable

Synonym Chooser

The words adamant and inflexible are common synonyms of obdurate. While all three words mean "unwilling to alter a predetermined course or purpose," obdurate stresses hardness of heart and insensitivity to appeals for mercy or the influence of divine grace.

obdurate in his refusal to grant clemency

The words adamant and obdurate can be used in similar contexts, but adamant implies utter immovability in the face of all temptation or entreaty.

adamant that the work should continue

While the synonyms inflexible and obdurate are close in meaning, inflexible implies rigid adherence or even slavish conformity to principle.

inflexible in their demands

单词	obdurate
释义	obdurate adjective ob·du·rate ˈäb-də-rət -dyə-; äb-ˈdu̇r-ət, əb-, -ˈdyu̇r- 1 a : stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing an unrepentant, obdurate sinner b : hardened in feelings The obdurate enemy was merciless. 2 : resistant to persuasion or softening influences obdurate in his determination remaining obdurate to her husband's advances Edith Wharton obdurately adverb obdurateness noun Did you know? When you are confronted with someone obdurate, you may end up feeling dour. During the encounter, you may find that you need to be durable to keep your sanity intact. Maybe you will find such situations less stressful in the future if you can face them knowing that the words obdurate, dour, and durable are etymological kissing cousins. All of those words trace back to the Latin adjective durus, which means "hard." This adjective can still be found in dura mater, the name for the tough fibrous material that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, which comes from a Medieval Latin phrase meaning, literally, "hard mother." Synonyms affectless callous case-hardened cold-blooded compassionless desensitized hard hard-boiled hard-hearted heartless indurate inhuman inhumane insensate insensitive ironhearted merciless pachydermatous pitiless remorseless ruthless slash-and-burn soulless stony stoney stonyhearted take-no-prisoners thick-skinned uncharitable unfeeling unmerciful unsparing unsympathetic See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences He is known for his obdurate determination. the obdurate refusal of the crotchety old man to let the neighborhood kids retrieve their stray ball from his backyard Recent Examples on the Web But the act has been tied up in the Senate, due to the obdurate opposition of the entire GOP caucus and Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W. Va.). Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2022 Those are just the most obdurate employers, says David Woods, the union’s secretary-treasurer. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2022 She was largely paralyzed from the neck down but just as obdurate as ever, wanting Sri to be the one to feed her, administer her fentanyl patch, bathe her and change her diaper, even though Sri had hired a home health aide to help. Noy Thrupkaew, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2021 When team members or individual personalities try to be obdurate and disturb the team conversation, the team coach will need to maintain composure under such circumstances. Jedidiah Alex Koh, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2021 Ink and paint veer between obdurate opacity and delicate transparency. New York Times, 19 Aug. 2021 The chorus sings of the Plague of Thebes over five darkly screaming chords in the key of B-flat minor, with an obdurate bass line grating against the upper harmonies. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 June 2021 By the summer of 1776, all but the most obdurate loyalists on the American continent knew that all-out war between Britain and the American Colonies had arrived. Steve Donoghue, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2021 France’s defense is stolid and obdurate and miserly. New York Times, 15 June 2021 See More Word History Etymology Middle English, borrowed from Late Latin obdūrātus, going back to Latin, past participle of obdūrāre "to harden, be persistent, hold out," from ob-, perfective prefix + dūrāre "to harden, hold out, endure" — more at ob-, during First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a obdurate adjective 1 as in ruthless having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings the obdurate refusal of the crotchety old man to let the neighborhood kids retrieve their stray ball from his backyard Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance ruthless merciless stony pitiless hard oppressive unsympathetic remorseless unmerciful callous compassionless indurate unfeeling heartless cruel insensate harsh inhuman stern brutal abusive tough insensitive malicious hateful hard-hearted soulless uncharitable affectless inhumane vicious grim unsparing case-hardened severe savage pachydermatous thick-skinned boorish stoney unfriendly ironhearted ungentle desensitized uncaring take-no-prisoners heedless thoughtless cold-blooded disagreeable spiteful inconsiderate surly malevolent unthinking hard-boiled stonyhearted virulent mean rough unloving brutish slash-and-burn barbarous acrimonious cold hard-bitten rancorous jackbooted bestial austere ill-tempered sledgehammer ill-natured ironfisted frosty heavy-handed ironhanded rough-and-tumble evil-minded knock-down-and-drag-out knock-down, drag-out Antonyms & Near Antonyms sympathetic merciful benevolent sensitive compassionate benignant warm gentle humane kindly kindhearted charitable kind mild softhearted gracious lenient tender warmhearted indulgent friendly tolerant tenderhearted cordial clement affectionate good-natured good-tempered understanding loving fond See More 2 as in stubborn sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion an obdurate farmer who could never be convinced to try a different method of fertilization Synonyms & Similar Words stubborn adamant steadfast hardened intransigent obstinate implacable unyielding unbending wilful mulish pertinacious immovable unrelenting inflexible adamantine uncompromising hardheaded willful pigheaded headstrong dogged ossified persistent bullheaded obsessive opinionated hard perverse stiff-necked determined relentless hard-nosed pat self-willed strict self-opinionated tenacious inexorable rigid inconvincible defiant iron unflinching stern recalcitrant wrongheaded wayward contumacious severe cantankerous uncooperative intractable deaf to reason hidebound resolved refractory bloody-minded indomitable mutinous firm disobedient unconquerable unmanageable single-minded insubordinate contrary inveterate invincible unruly ungovernable stouthearted anal-retentive hard-line unregenerate narrow-minded hell-bent cussed insurgent froward hard-shelled exacting demanding confirmed set hard-shell Antonyms & Near Antonyms acquiescent pliant agreeable pliable amenable compliant docile flexible obedient complying tractable yielding submissive receptive placable relenting responsive accepting willing reasonable temperate subservient persuadable slavish governable manageable See More Synonym Chooser The words adamant and inflexible are common synonyms of obdurate. While all three words mean "unwilling to alter a predetermined course or purpose," obdurate stresses hardness of heart and insensitivity to appeals for mercy or the influence of divine grace. obdurate in his refusal to grant clemency The words adamant and obdurate can be used in similar contexts, but adamant implies utter immovability in the face of all temptation or entreaty. adamant that the work should continue While the synonyms inflexible and obdurate are close in meaning, inflexible implies rigid adherence or even slavish conformity to principle. inflexible in their demands
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obdurate

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

adjective

Synonym Chooser