as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the judge threatened to charge the contumacious witness with contempt of court
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contumacious
Adjective
-
Your 6th House of Labor hosts mental Mercury, which squares rebellious Uranus in your 9th House of Journeys, stirring tension between tradition and modernization.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026 -
Lang went on to appear in most of Fuller’s films, including playing a rebellious German countess in his 1980 war epic The Big Red One, and several by their friend Wim Wenders.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The rebel operation that Erdoğan approved seems to have been intended as a way to prod Assad to negotiate; it was framed not as an invasion but as a defensive move.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The image, known as the rebel loon, blends the outline of a loon with the familiar rebellion emblem.—
Nick Lunemann,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Other defiant moments on a global stage The NFL has long maintained guardrails around the halftime show, particularly when performances edge toward political commentary.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Bill and Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify in person to a Republican congressional investigation into notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, apparently ending their defiant campaign of resistance.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Your 6th House of Work focuses under the willful Sun, which sextiles therapeutic Chiron in your 8th House of Shared Resources to support useful, sustainable adjustments.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
And his time was one too of witnessing the willful destruction of entire cultures, the taking of lands, the Trail of Tears.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
If that doesn’t solve the problem, try scrubbing stubborn spots with Bar Keeper’s Friend and a nonabrasive sponge.—
Jessica Elliott,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Rusk recommends using wash and styling products that don’t contain silicones (like dimethicone), which can cause a stubborn coating to accumulate that clogs follicles on the scalp and prevents the hair from absorbing moisturizing ingredients.—
Rebecca Strong,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Contumacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contumacious. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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