Meaning & use

obstinate

adjective·Advanced

Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion, decision, or course of action despite good reasons to do so.

See it in a sentence

Despite everyone's advice, he remained obstinate and refused to see a doctor.

The obstinate committee ignored the new evidence and stuck with its original plan.

A note on using this word

Obstinate carries a stronger, more negative tone than 'firm' or 'determined,' suggesting unreasonable resistance rather than principled resolve.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

flexiblecompliant

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