Meaning & use

stubborn

adjective·Everyday

Refusing to change one's opinion, position, or course of action despite pressure or good reasons to do so.

See it in a sentence

The stubborn toddler refused to eat anything but plain pasta for dinner.

Despite the doctor's advice, he was too stubborn to give up smoking.

A note on using this word

Stubborn can describe both people and things, such as a stubborn stain or a stubborn cough that won't go away.

Words with a similar meaning

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

Words with an opposite meaning

flexiblecompliant

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “stubborn”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.