stubborn

[ stuhb-ern ]

adjective

1. unreasonably obstinate; obstinately unmoving:

   a stubborn child.

   Synonyms: obdurate, headstrong, unyielding, refractory, intractable, contrary

   Antonyms: tractable

2. fixed or set in purpose or opinion; resolute:

   a stubborn opponent of foreign aid.

   Synonyms: persevering

   Antonyms: irresolute

3. obstinately maintained, as a course of action:

   a stubborn resistance.

4. difficult to manage or suppress:

   a stubborn horse; a stubborn pain.

5. hard, tough, or stiff, as stone or wood; difficult to shape or work.

stubborn

/ ˈstʌbən /

adjective

1. refusing to comply, agree, or give in; obstinate
2. difficult to handle, treat, or overcome
3. persistent and dogged

   a stubborn crusade

Derived Forms

• ˈstubbornness, noun
• ˈstubbornly, adverb

Other Words From

• stubborn·ly adverb
• stubborn·ness noun
• pre·stubborn adjective
• un·stubborn adjective
• un·stubborn·ly adverb
• un·stubborn·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of stubborn¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English stiborn(e), styborne, stuborn ; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of stubborn¹

C14 stoborne, of obscure origin

Synonym Study

Stubborn, dogged, obstinate, persistent imply fixity of purpose or condition and resistance to change. Stubborn and obstinate both imply resistance to advice, entreaty, remonstrance, or force; but stubborn implies more of innate quality and is the more frequently used when referring to inanimate things: stubborn disposition; stubborn difficulties. Dogged implies pertinacity and grimness in doing something, especially in the face of discouragements: dogged determination. Persistent implies having staying or lasting qualities, resoluteness, and perseverance: persistent questioning.

Example Sentences

It is a combination of numbness and a stubborn determination to both protect myself and carry on.

From Salon

The FT's review celebrated veteran director, Ridley Scott, for his "stubborn charm", "belligerent swagger" and "ideas that are more pulpy and loopy".

From BBC

It was a slow, stubborn defiance of the passing years, paying his respects his own way, when all the other groups had finished, cheered on by the crowds nearby on the pavement.

From BBC

Sharon Palmer laughs as she tells this story, which seems, at first, like your standard cute anecdote, tossed off to humanize a famous daughter — an example of how stubborn kids can be in the pursuit of their desires, proof that years before she became a child star, Keke knew how to get what she wanted.

From Los Angeles Times

While the “cascade of illegality” that defined the Bush era’s war on terror was indeed somewhat addressed by Obama, it remained, Koh reminds us, “undercorrected” — including not seeking “stronger accountability for past acts of CIA torture, and the stubborn continuation of a Guantanamo detention policy.”

From Salon

Related Words

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