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| adj. 1. a. Stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action; obdurate. b. Characterized by such adherence: an obstinate refusal. 2. Difficult to manage, control, or treat: an obstinate problem; an obstinate headache. [Middle English obstinat, from Latin obstinātus, past participle of obstināre, to persist; see stā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] obsti·nate·ly adv. obsti·nate·ness n. Synonyms: obstinate, stubborn, headstrong, recalcitrant, intractable, bullheaded, pigheaded, mulish These adjectives mean tenaciously unwilling to yield. Obstinate implies unreasonable rigidity: “Mr. Quincy labored hard with the governor to obtain his assent, but he was obstinate” (Benjamin Franklin). Stubborn pertains to innate, often perverse resoluteness or unyieldingness: “She was very stubborn when her mind was made up” (Samuel Butler). People who are headstrong are obstinately bent on having their own way: The headstrong senator ignored his constituency. Those who are recalcitrant rebel against authority: The police arrested the recalcitrant protestors. Intractable refers to what is obstinate and difficult to manage or control: “the intractable ferocity of his captive” (Edgar Allan Poe). Bullheaded suggests foolish or irrational obstinacy, and pigheaded, stupid obstinacy: Don't be bullheaded; see a doctor. “It's a pity pious folks are so apt to be pigheaded” (Harriet Beecher Stowe). Mulish implies the obstinacy and intractability associated with a mule: “It is a mark of my own chalky insecurity and mulish youth that I hounded Andy every chance I got” (Brian Doyle). |
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