as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
the company's ossified management team failed to see the technological revolution that was sweeping their own industry
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Recent Examples of ossified
Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
And he's taken aim at the foreign policy apparatus, describing institutions like the NSC and State Department as having been ossified and out of touch.
—Franco Ordoñez, NPR, 26 Jan. 2026
This year’s awards narrative was already feeling especially ossified.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
The status quo—an ossified theocracy presiding over a bankrupt economy and an aggrieved populace—has already proven unsustainable.
—Ali Vaez, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Poking out of the vertical wall of a cutbank in a seasonally dry river was a vertebra – part of the backbone – and some ossified tendons.
—Paul C. Sereno, The Conversation, 24 Oct. 2025
Really late developers, who might not be fully grown until around 20 or 21, could be 25 before their apophyseal sites are fully ossified.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The collective dream was for a new, democratic structure that could replace Assad’s ossified legal regime.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
And he's taken aim at the foreign policy apparatus, describing institutions like the NSC and State Department as having been ossified and out of touch.
—Franco Ordoñez, NPR, 26 Jan. 2026
This year’s awards narrative was already feeling especially ossified.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
The status quo—an ossified theocracy presiding over a bankrupt economy and an aggrieved populace—has already proven unsustainable.
—Ali Vaez, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Poking out of the vertical wall of a cutbank in a seasonally dry river was a vertebra – part of the backbone – and some ossified tendons.
—Paul C. Sereno, The Conversation, 24 Oct. 2025
Really late developers, who might not be fully grown until around 20 or 21, could be 25 before their apophyseal sites are fully ossified.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ossified
Adjective
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Its hot water wash dissolves stubborn grease on the mop pads, while its specialized Curv design prevents long hair from tangling around the brushes.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
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For any stubborn coffee stains on the carafe, apply baking soda directly to the interior surface and gently scrub with a soft sponge or toothbrush.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Even at that, Panthers coach Paul Maurice remains adamant all the trade rumors were blown out of proportion in the first place.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
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Berg is adamant that any kind of sleeper—we’re talking side sleepers, stomach sleepers, and back sleepers alike—would like this supportive style.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a March 2026 interview with THR, O’Brien said his appearance on Hot Ones in 2024 was the moment everything crystallized.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
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The film crystallized during a two-week residency at Prospect Cottage in Dungeness, the remote coastal headland that served as the home of the late artist-filmmaker Derek Jarman.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The best callus removers make quick work of thick, hardened skin—without turning your bathroom into a full-on pedicure station.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
9 Mar. 2026
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The medical examiner ruled her death the result of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or hardened arteries, possibly due to a hereditary disorder.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The only issue is his mother Laura (Wright), a woman who has lost a child once before and is petrified of a repeat.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ossified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ossified. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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