Meaning & use
refractory
Stubbornly resistant to control, authority, or treatment, especially when normal methods fail to work.
See it in a sentence
The refractory patient did not respond to any of the standard antibiotics tried by doctors.
Teachers found the refractory student impossible to manage during group activities.
A note on using this word
In medicine, 'refractory' describes a condition resistant to treatment; in materials science, it instead describes heat resistance.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. adjective
Able to withstand very high temperatures without melting or breaking down, as certain materials do.
The furnace was lined with refractory bricks capable of enduring extreme heat.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “refractory”, then compare your use with the examples above.