intransigent

Or in·tran·si·geant

[in-tran-si-juhnt]

adjective

1. refusing to agree or compromise; uncompromising; inflexible.

noun

1. a person who refuses to agree or compromise, as in politics.

intransigent

/ ɪnˈtrænsɪdʒənt /

adjective

1. not willing to compromise; obstinately maintaining an attitude

noun

1. an intransigent person, esp in politics

Other Word Forms

• intransigence noun
• intransigency noun
• intransigently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of intransigent¹

1875–80; < Spanish intransigente, equivalent to in- in- ³ + transigente (present participle of transigir to compromise) < Latin trānsigent- (stem of trānsigēns, present participle of trānsigere to come to an agreement); transact

Word History and Origins

Origin of intransigent¹

C19: from Spanish los intransigentes the uncompromising (ones), a name adopted by certain political extremists, from _in- ¹ + transigir to compromise, from Latin transigere to settle; see _transact

Example Sentences

"How do you get someone as intransigent and as slow moving as the EU to do something now? You slap a 50% tariff on them and all of a sudden the phone start ringing."

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But Mr Amsterdam said the more intransigent the government, the more it would spur Chadema's supporters "to push forward and engage in civil disobedience".

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Furthermore, the practice is tightly bound to the seemingly intransigent social marginalization of women.

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David Strover, head of Trading Standards, said: "We repeatedly advised this business to amend their labelling, but they were intransigent and failed to act on our advice."

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But the Kandahar-based leadership has remained intransigent, and there has been no public breaking of ranks with the supreme leader’s diktats.

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Related Words

• adamant 
• inflexible 
• obstinate 
• resolute 
• stubborn