obstinate
Americanadjective
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firmly or stubbornly adhering to one's purpose, opinion, etc.; not yielding to argument, persuasion, or entreaty.
- Synonyms:
- pertinacious, refractory, inflexible, perverse, intractable, unbending, unyielding, obdurate, mulish
- Antonyms:
- tractable, submissive
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characterized by inflexible persistence or an unyielding attitude; inflexibly persisted in or carried out.
obstinate advocacy of high tariffs.
-
not easily controlled or overcome.
the obstinate growth of weeds.
-
not yielding readily to treatment, as a disease.
adjective
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adhering fixedly to a particular opinion, attitude, course of action, etc
-
self-willed or headstrong
-
difficult to subdue or alleviate; persistent
an obstinate fever
Related Words
See stubborn.
Other Word Forms
- obstinately adverb
- obstinateness noun
- superobstinate adjective
- superobstinately adverb
- superobstinateness noun
- unobstinate adjective
- unobstinately adverb
Etymology
Origin of obstinate
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin obstinātus (past participle of obstināre “to set one's mind on, be determined”), equivalent to ob- ob- + -stin-, combining form of stan- (derivative of stāre “to stand,” stand ) + -ātus -ate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As an evocation of a remarkable figure, by turns obstinate and unexpectedly endearing, Longford’s book remains unsurpassed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026
The guard was obstinate in refusing to provide one.
From Salon • Aug. 21, 2025
He excelled at convincing even the obstinate to trust him.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2024
But he added, he is "a pretty obstinate person".
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2024
It took another ten to click around and get the internet to work, because sometimes my computer was just, I don’t know, obstinate.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
