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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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
According to Cartwright, both recalcitrant and cooperative countries have seen reductions in border encounters, regardless of deportation flights.
—
Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025
These are often referred to as recalcitrant countries.
—Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
Surely even the most recalcitrant of Emmy voters will have a hard time resisting a performance this impeccably showy.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Dec. 2024
But even with much of its attention called to Asia, Washington cannot ignore a recalcitrant and revanchist adversary in Europe, especially not one that will pose a direct military threat to NATO members.
—Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025
These are often referred to as recalcitrant countries.
—Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
Surely even the most recalcitrant of Emmy voters will have a hard time resisting a performance this impeccably showy.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Dec. 2024
But even with much of its attention called to Asia, Washington cannot ignore a recalcitrant and revanchist adversary in Europe, especially not one that will pose a direct military threat to NATO members.
—Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recalcitrant
Adjective
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In addition, parents who are too strict might even end up with kids who are extra rebellious.—
Taylor Grothe,
Parents,
26 Feb. 2025
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Boon will play Eddie Harrigan, Kevin’s rebellious son.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Another type of hyperpigmentation that kojic acid can help with is melasma—a stubborn and hard-to-treat skin condition characterized by splotchy, brown or grayish patches.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
4 Mar. 2025
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But four months after becoming the first Republican in two decades to win the popular vote, Trump faces a new reality of needing to tackle some of the most stubborn challenges awaiting any new president and deliver on his campaign promises to lower prices.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The attacks started this week after reports emerged that Assad loyalists had ambushed and killed members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – the rebel group that spearheaded the rebellion that ousted the former Syrian leader.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
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The singer and the songwriter traversed the frontlines of the urban guerrilla war that had consumed the city of Homs by that point, with one half of the city overtaken by regime soldiers and the other half controlled by rebel groups.—
Jawad Rizkallah,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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What’s more, Asian elephants are highly social, highly intelligent, and endangered, raising intractable ethical obstacles to experimenting on them.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
TIME,
4 Mar. 2025
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Climate change will create intractable problems for some countries and open new opportunities for others, encouraging a race for territory.—
Michael Albertus,
Foreign Affairs,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Trump, in a defiant victory lap speech lasting roughly 100 minutes, credited his predecessor for high inflation and vowed to bring down the costs of everyday goods while previewing further economic pain from new tariffs.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
5 Mar. 2025
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President Donald Trump took a defiant victory lap in the House chamber on Tuesday night, using his address to a joint session of Congress to promote the flurry of drastic changes to domestic and foreign policy that his administration has made in just the first six weeks.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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While cannabinoids offer a potential alternative for refractory chronic pain, optimal use requires personalized dosing and further high-quality trials targeting specific pain subtypes.—
Tribune Content Agency,
The Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2025
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It is meant to treat only people with refractory myeloma.—
Sarah Hudgens,
Health,
23 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Even your grimy London suburb feels unsettling, but then again, it’s plagued by spooky goings-on: disappearances, violence, and wayward theories (specifically from your friend Marty) that there’s a demonic element to it all.—
Matt Gardner,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
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The handsome actor who starred as Jake Cutter in ABC’s adventure series, Tales of the Gold Monkey, and Diane Keaton’s wayward husband in the hit feature film, The First Wives Club, was perhaps best known for his role as wholesome pastor and dad Eric Camden on the WB series, 7th Heaven.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The most dramatic case study occurred this week, when Trump signed two executive orders instituting a tariff regime on goods entering the United States from Canada and Mexico in response to what the White House argues is an uncontrollable scourge of migrants and drugs coming from those countries.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2025
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These high winds, combined with low humidity, have created a significant fire weather risk, with forecasters warning that any ignition could lead to fast-growing, uncontrollable fires.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
7 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Recalcitrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recalcitrant. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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