obstinacy

[ ob-stuh-nuh-see ]
See synonyms for obstinacy on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural ob·sti·na·cies for 5.
  1. the quality or state of being obstinate; stubbornness.

  2. unyielding or stubborn adherence to one's purpose, opinion, etc.

  1. stubborn persistence: The garrison fought on with incredible obstinacy.

  2. resistance to cure, relief, or treatment, as a disease.

  3. an instance of being obstinate; an obstinate act, viewpoint, etc.

Origin of obstinacy

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin obstinātia, from Latin obstinātus “determined” (adjective use of past participle of obstināre “to set one's mind on, be determined”; see obstinate) + -ia -y3

Words Nearby obstinacy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use obstinacy in a sentence

  • He could start this week by telling Republicans, hey, gang, let's drop the unceasing obstinacy.

    Tomorrow's Obama-Romney Lunch | Michael Tomasky | November 28, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • This unreasoning, feminine obstinacy so wrought upon him that he permitted himself a smile and a lapse into irony and banter.

    St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
  • You fancied, perhaps, I would stand haggling with you all night, and yield at last to your obstinacy.

    Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
  • A glorious vision, in which the prophet's lips are cleansed: he foretelleth the obstinacy of the Jews.

  • She has an obstinacy and a perseverance in sticking at you that drive you almost wild, but make you learn "lots" in the end.

  • He reproaches the Jews for their obstinacy: he will deliver them out of their captivity, for his own name's sake.

British Dictionary definitions for obstinacy

obstinacy

/ (ˈɒbstɪnəsɪ) /


nounplural -cies
  1. the state or quality of being obstinate

  2. an obstinate act, attitude, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012