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
-
Figure skating is ruthless that way.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Pursued by both the FBI and a ruthless crime boss (Bening), Lucky must fight for her life — and a way out.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
3 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
Adjective
-
Murphy is not acting alone, however, as he’s been assigned to the journey out of a labor camp run by a merciless, tobacco-spitting boss (Russell Crowe) — and some in his merriless band turn out to be savvier, and more malicious, than others.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
29 Jan. 2026
-
But the Warriors, driven by the merciless ticking clock of Curry’s career, are desperate.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Norma Padgett Upshaw, who remained adamant that the four men were the ones involved in her assault, died in 2024.—
News Service Of Florida,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Suleyman’s vision for Microsoft Suleyman is adamant about the technology’s potential.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Across this stony landscape, light sometimes falls.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Forgotten animal pens, decaying cages and stony backdrops now sit in various states of abandonment.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Fennell teases out the tricky evolution of the characters’ deep bond, from steadfast sibling affection toward a combative, quasi-incestuous desire.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The band remained steadfast in the commitment despite many other acts bowing out.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This puts it safely within the light cruise missile-grade of loitering munitions, suggesting it is probably intended for use against hardened or high-value targets.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Feb. 2026
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Fabric layers mesh and bond; glass pellets, mother-of-pearl beads, and cables get nestled into crevices, trapped under hardened strata of varnish.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obdurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obdurate. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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