Synonyms

renitent

American

[ri-nahyt-nt, ren-i-tuhnt] / rɪˈnaɪt nt, ˈrɛn ɪ tənt /

adjective

resisting pressure; resistant.
persistently opposing; recalcitrant.

renitent British

/ ˈrɛnɪtənt, rɪˈnaɪtənt /

adjective

reluctant; recalcitrant
not flexible

"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

Other Word Forms

renitence noun
renitency noun

Etymology

Origin of renitent

1695–1705; < Latin renītent- (stem of renītēns ), present participle of renītī to resist, equivalent to re- re- + nīt ( ī ) to strive, make an effort + -ent- -ent

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.

Sister Ailan considered Taisin’s flushed face, her renitent posture.

From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo

Adj. elastic, flexible, tensile, spring, resilient, renitent, buoyant; ductile, stretchable, extendable.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark

Some of them conceive of the breach of law as taking place without the employment of force; these teachings may be characterized as renitent.

From Anarchism by Eltzbacher, Paul

Adj. counteracting &c. v.; antagonistic, conflicting, retroactive, renitent, reactionary; contrary &c.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023