1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
the obdurate refusal of the crotchety old man to let the neighborhood kids retrieve their stray ball from his backyard
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
an obdurate farmer who could never be convinced to try a different method of fertilization
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obdurate
Ipswich proved obdurate and then generous opponents — Newcastle’s 78 per cent possession was the highest by any team in a Premier League match this season — and their relegation was confirmed by this 3-0 defeat.
—
George Caulkin, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Whatever regime emerges could well be even more radical and obdurate.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2025
Advertisement None of that has immunized the lowly smelt from its most obdurate enemy: partisan folly.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
Nevertheless, Biden’s obdurate unwillingness to step aside for younger, more plausible Democratic candidates resulted in the reëmergence of his nemesis.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obdurate
George Caulkin, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Whatever regime emerges could well be even more radical and obdurate.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2025
Advertisement None of that has immunized the lowly smelt from its most obdurate enemy: partisan folly.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
Nevertheless, Biden’s obdurate unwillingness to step aside for younger, more plausible Democratic candidates resulted in the reëmergence of his nemesis.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obdurate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obdurate
Adjective
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While team boss Toto Wolff appreciates both, he is known for being ruthless when push comes to shove.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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Thanks to the tethering process, his memories of the last year have been wiped, leaving only a man known as Red, a ruthless shadow and former contract killer for a cruel, mercurial billionaire.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Inflation is stubborn, unemployment is rising and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has even confirmed that Gen Z grads just can’t get a break right now.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
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Clean With Vinegar And Dish Soap Dish soap cuts through grease and grime to make removing stubborn dirt easier.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But is my merciless game persona merely nurture, or does nature have something to do with it too?—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
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Here, under the merciless South Florida sun, seeds of hope were planted again Sunday with Vrabel’s first win.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But while much of record labels’ promotional efforts have shifted to platforms including TikTok, Shinedown has remained adamant about the importance of terrestrial radio.—
Glenn Peoples,
Billboard,
18 Sep. 2025
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In a 24/7 news cycle, Hemmer is adamant about balancing urgency with accuracy.—
Rodger Dean Duncan,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Its stony soil and cool climate produce lower yields, but more expressive flavors, especially in chardonnay, pinot noir, and sparkling wines.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
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No expensive meter running that is racking up hefty bills and stony fees.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As each one of our kids left for college and then moved out on their own, Chewie remained right there like our steadfast companion.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Sep. 2025
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To Mike Hopkins, your steadfast leadership has been instrumental in shaping Prime Video’s new vision and success.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For example, the military's ultra-hardened Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites in geosynchronous orbit are designed to operate through an electromagnetic pulse and nuclear scintillation.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
11 Sep. 2025
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The hardened sediment largely contained the mineral brucite — created through alkaline waste interacting with magnesium in the ocean water that resulted in the crust-like surface surrounding the barrels.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obdurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obdurate. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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