obstinacy

[ ob-stuh-nuh-see ]

noun

, plural ob·sti·na·cies

1. the quality or state of being obstinate; stubbornness.
2. unyielding or stubborn adherence to one's purpose, opinion, etc.
3. stubborn persistence:

   The garrison fought on with incredible obstinacy.

4. resistance to cure, relief, or treatment, as a disease.
5. an instance of being obstinate; an obstinate act, viewpoint, etc.

obstinacy

/ ˈɒbstɪnəsɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being obstinate
2. an obstinate act, attitude, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of obstinacy¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin obstinātia, from Latin obstinātus “determined” (adjective use of past participle of obstināre “to set one's mind on, be determined”; obstinate ) + -ia -y ³

Example Sentences

Trump’s obstinacy continued for weeks, culminating with Jan. 6, 2021, when Trump urged on an angry mob that stormed the Capitol in an attempt to halt the election certification.

From Los Angeles Times

Odenkirk was one of several perfectly cast actors in the episode, a force capable of matching Bernthal’s intensity and obstinacy.

From Los Angeles Times

In a 17-page order, Judge Chushcoff said the employee “demonstrated obstinacy in her search” that led the State Patrol to move to discipline her; however, Loftis said the employee “subsequently left our employ.”

From Seattle Times

At this point I should confess I have a perverse patience for the U.S. tax code, not least because I marvel at the obstinacy of its idiom.

From New York Times

In reality, Mike Johnson probably recognized a lot of what he saw in New York’s 3rd: A new-to-politics candidate with red flags in their past who gets caught lying a lot; big donors staying on the sidelines because they don’t trust the new generation of Republican leaders; the ceding of middle ground on basic issues to Democrats because of conspiratorial thinking and a collective insistence on valorizing partisan hostility and obstinacy.

From Slate