1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the manager worried that the recalcitrant employee would try to undermine his authority
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
given to resisting control or discipline by others
a heart-to-heart talk with the recalcitrant youth revealed that he had a troubled life at home
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Recent Examples of recalcitrant
Cue a mordantly absurd scene where his chance to land a position in the administration hinges on him successfully retrieving a precious package from a muddy field behind enemy lines, which turns out to be a damp and recalcitrant cat.
—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Pritzker recently proposed a much more far-reaching set of bills that combine carrots and sticks to deal with recalcitrant municipalities.
—
Michael Schill,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
The failure of the network computer also made Ellison weirdly recalcitrant about the cloud.
—
Elizabeth Lopatto,
The Verge,
29 Apr. 2026
Consciousness may be the most recalcitrant concept of all.
—
Dan Turello,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Pritzker recently proposed a much more far-reaching set of bills that combine carrots and sticks to deal with recalcitrant municipalities.
—
Michael Schill,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
The failure of the network computer also made Ellison weirdly recalcitrant about the cloud.
—
Elizabeth Lopatto,
The Verge,
29 Apr. 2026
Consciousness may be the most recalcitrant concept of all.
—
Dan Turello,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recalcitrant
Adjective
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For seven seasons, a hodgepodge crew mixing Starfleet and the rebellious Maquis put aside their differences after they got zapped 70,000 lightyears away from Earth, deep into the uncharted Delta Quadrant.
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This could bring about sudden ideas, or trigger rebellious impulses and creative imagination.
Adjective
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The weather service’s forecast discussion for Kansas City said the stubborn heat could last through the Fourth of July.
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Against all odds, the stubborn housing market has become a hotspot for young talent.
Adjective
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Starmer had previously vowed to stand in any formal Labour leadership race triggered by rebel lawmakers who feating a 2029 election wipeout sought to replace him.
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Many rebel groups are offshoots of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which had been fighting to overthrow the government since the 1960s and had been the country's largest guerrilla organization.
Adjective
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For as long as the American Dream has been around, homeownership was considered an intractable piece of the wealth-building puzzle.
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Two Ships is thus a narrative for our time, when the aspirational vision of oneness has given way to intractable twoness.
Adjective
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Femi was defiant as he was interviewed in the ring following his victory.
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Laurie Whitwell Were South Africa unlucky after defiant defensive display?
Adjective
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These warm hundreds of tonnes of refractory bricks to temperatures up to 1,500 °C.
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This is, by far, the most common TES approach in industry, with most companies using legacy technologies like refractory bricks and molten salt to store heat in insulated shipping containers.
Adjective
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What at first felt fun — like guiding a sweet wayward child — soon felt like a crazymaking psychological experiment.
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Power brings a warmer and more wayward sensibility to such material than, say, the German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher, whose deadpan grids of coal tipples and water towers drained industrial structures of affect.
Adjective
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The jealousy that emanates from every pore of this guy is uncontrollable.
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An uncontrollable laugh when tickled is vastly different from a polite laugh in a meeting, an infectious laugh during a movie, or a nervous little giggle after making a mistake.
Cite this Entry
“Recalcitrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recalcitrant. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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