obdurate
adjective
ob·du·rate
ˈäb-də-rət 
-dyə-;
äb-ˈdu̇r-ət,
əb-,
-ˈdyu̇r-
1
a
: stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
an unrepentant, obdurate sinner
b
: hardened in feelings
The obdurate enemy was merciless.
2
: resistant to persuasion or softening influences
obdurate in his determination
remaining obdurate to her husband's advances—
Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton
obdurately
adverb
obdurateness
noun
Did you know?
When trying to persuade someone who has an obdurate disposition, you may end up feeling rather dour about your ability to change their mind. To endure such encounters in the future, you may find that you need to be more durable and not let their mulishness get you down. Maybe you will find such situations less stressful if you can face them knowing that the words obdurate, dour, endure, and durable are etymological kissing cousins. All trace back to the Latin adjective durus, which means “hard.”
Synonyms
- affectless
- callous
- case-hardened
- cold-blooded
- compassionless
- desensitized
- hard
- hard-boiled
- hard-hearted
- heartless
- indurate
- inhuman
- inhumane
- insensate
- insensitive
- ironhearted
- merciless
- pachydermatous
- pitiless
- remorseless
- ruthless
- slash-and-burn
- soulless
- stony
- stoney
- stonyhearted
- take-no-prisoners
- thick-skinned
- uncharitable
- unfeeling
- unmerciful
- unsparing
- unsympathetic
Examples of obdurate in a Sentence
He is known for his obdurate determination.
the obdurate refusal of the crotchety old man to let the neighborhood kids retrieve their stray ball from his backyard
Recent Examples on the Web
Up the long hill and around a bend that almost touches itself White Chimneys comes into view, as harsh and obdurate as ever.
—Annie Proulx, The New Yorker, 30 June 2024
Over the next several hundred million years, terrestrial plants of all kinds profoundly altered the planet, accelerating the water cycle, turning obdurate crust into supple soil—and pushing the level of atmospheric oxygen to new heights.
—Ferris Jabr, The Atlantic, 25 June 2024
To Matthew and Rachelle, who by now had become attuned to the obdurate implacability of British authorities, the coroner’s response was maddening: this was their final opportunity to ascertain the truth.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024
Regina Hall came down with pneumonia while shooting Girls Trip, the irreverent 2017 comedy from Will Packer, a savant who repeatedly has shown an obdurate Hollywood that Black movies can mint money at the box office.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for obdurate 
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Annie Proulx, The New Yorker, 30 June 2024
Over the next several hundred million years, terrestrial plants of all kinds profoundly altered the planet, accelerating the water cycle, turning obdurate crust into supple soil—and pushing the level of atmospheric oxygen to new heights.
—Ferris Jabr, The Atlantic, 25 June 2024
To Matthew and Rachelle, who by now had become attuned to the obdurate implacability of British authorities, the coroner’s response was maddening: this was their final opportunity to ascertain the truth.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024
Regina Hall came down with pneumonia while shooting Girls Trip, the irreverent 2017 comedy from Will Packer, a savant who repeatedly has shown an obdurate Hollywood that Black movies can mint money at the box office.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for obdurate
Dictionary Entries Near obdurate
Cite this Entry
“Obdurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obdurate. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
obdurate
adjective
ob·du·rate
ˈäb-d(y)ə-rət
äb-ˈd(y)u̇r-ət
1
a
: stubbornly continuing to do wrong
b
: hardened in feelings
2
: hard to convince or persuade : unyielding
obdurately
adverb
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