Obstinate

WORD OF THE DAY

obstinate / adjective / AHB-stuh-nut

Definition

1: perversely adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion

2: not easily subdued, remedied, or removed

Examples

The project that had been the group's main focus for weeks was temporarily stymied by one member's obstinate refusal to compromise.

"With a permanent frown, Mr. Gnome has an obstinate attachment to the word no. 'Say hello to the readers, Mr. Gnome,' the narrator requests. 'No,' says Mr. Gnome, arms crossed in front of his belly." 

— Publisher's Weekly Review, 2 Mar. 2020

Did You Know?

If you're obstinate, you're just plain stubborn. 

Obstinate, dogged, stubborn, and mulish all mean that someone is unwilling to change course or give up a belief or plan. Obstinate suggests an unreasonable persistence; it's often a negative word. 

Dogged implies that someone goes after something without ever tiring or quitting; it can be more positive. 

Stubborn indicates a resistance to change, which may or may not be admirable. 

Someone who displays a really unreasonable degree of stubbornness could accurately be described as mulish.