stubborn

[stuhb-ern] / ˈstʌb ərn /

ADJECTIVE

obstinate, unyielding

Synonyms

STRONGEST

adamant determined dogged headstrong inflexible intractable ornery persistent perverse relentless rigid single-minded steadfast tenacious tough unshakable willful

WEAK

balky bloody-minded bullheaded cantankerous contumacious cussed firm fixed hang-tough hardheaded inexorable insubordinate mulish obdurate opinionated persevering pertinacious pigheaded rebellious recalcitrant refractory self-willed set in one's ways stiff-necked unbending unmanageable unreasonable untoward

Antonyms

STRONGEST

flexible irresolute kind nice pliable pliant reasonable soft submissive surrendering weak willing yielding

WEAK

broad-minded complacent compliant giving

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.

If high gas prices and stubborn inflation persist, retail sales could take a turn for the worse heading into the summer.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

Melamine sponges are known for removing stubborn stains without the need for extra chemicals.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

Xingguo is a place of stubborn, rocky land where large-scale farming has always been a struggle and poverty was, for generations, the only constant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

He doesn’t respond to his various wake-up calls with stubborn defiance but a curiosity that shifts his moping into something akin to a geeky, fun-loving second adolescence.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

I didn’t press him about it, because he could be stubborn and not want to talk at all.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

Vocabulary lists containing stubborn

The Cay

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Twelve Angry Men

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"What, of This Goldfish, Would You Wish?" Vocabulary from the short story

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