as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
the child was obstinate about wanting that specific toy, despite being offered several others
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of obstinate
Trump has repeatedly voiced his frustration with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of litigating the negotiations in the press and of being obstinate for drawing a red line by declaring Ukraine would not accept a deal that recognizes Russia’s occupation of Crimea.
—
Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 24 Apr. 2025
Glide your steam mop across obstinate stains or spills and eradicate the mess along with the bacteria.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 20 Mar. 2025
Still, this is a strong, young group with one large elephant in the room - who will play third base, the infinitely superior defender and more agreeable team player Bregman or the better hitter and more obstinate Rafael Devers?
—Tony Blengino, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Then there is the obstinate refusal to desalinate the ocean.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obstinate
Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 24 Apr. 2025
Glide your steam mop across obstinate stains or spills and eradicate the mess along with the bacteria.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 20 Mar. 2025
Still, this is a strong, young group with one large elephant in the room - who will play third base, the infinitely superior defender and more agreeable team player Bregman or the better hitter and more obstinate Rafael Devers?
—Tony Blengino, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Then there is the obstinate refusal to desalinate the ocean.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obstinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obstinate
Adjective
-
Viewers were quick to point out the hilarity of the dog's stubborn protest, with many suggesting that the dachshund had already claimed permanent rights to the bed.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The stubborn myth that Jews are too safe to be targets is colliding with a painful new reality.—
Andrew Weinstein,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
However, her mother is adamant about keeping the canine off the antique chair.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Sandlin was adamant that his engineering team has done everything possible to ensure no adverse impact to neighboring properties.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obstinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstinate. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share