as in persistence
a steadfast adherence to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
between my brother's stubbornness and my own, it's amazing when we come to an agreement about anything
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Recent Examples of stubbornness
As for her training, the stubbornness of this dog mix hasn't been an issue.
—
Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Maybe this stubbornness won’t affect anything.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
The 22-year-old had been relentless in her pursuit of a goal all match against rival Canada, and her stubbornness finally paid off in the 55th minute.
—Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
In season one, Robby’s vulnerabilities were made evident through his trauma over the loss of his mentor during COVID; in the show’s next chapter, his vulnerabilities are shown through his stubbornness.
—Esther Zuckerman, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Given the stubbornness of beef prices, some investors may have feared inflation was running even hotter.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Women in hijabs pushing strollers through snowbanks reminded me of the strength and stubbornness of the women who raised me.
—Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
Like, does stubbornness at all play a role in, interpersonal relationships?
—Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2026
Don't be surprised when that stubbornness ends up being one of their best character traits.
—Bridget Shirvell, Parents, 17 Feb. 2026
Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Maybe this stubbornness won’t affect anything.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
The 22-year-old had been relentless in her pursuit of a goal all match against rival Canada, and her stubbornness finally paid off in the 55th minute.
—Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
In season one, Robby’s vulnerabilities were made evident through his trauma over the loss of his mentor during COVID; in the show’s next chapter, his vulnerabilities are shown through his stubbornness.
—Esther Zuckerman, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Given the stubbornness of beef prices, some investors may have feared inflation was running even hotter.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Women in hijabs pushing strollers through snowbanks reminded me of the strength and stubbornness of the women who raised me.
—Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
Like, does stubbornness at all play a role in, interpersonal relationships?
—Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2026
Don't be surprised when that stubbornness ends up being one of their best character traits.
—Bridget Shirvell, Parents, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stubbornness
Noun
-
For Samuel, Sargool and Yousif, the recognition speaks to the years of persistence and hard work that went into forming the program in order to help students feel more valued in their language and culture.—
Alexandra Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
What stands out is a common thread of persistence and impact.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The White House does not seem to have a workaround to Putin’s obstinacy, and Rubio told Hannity that all other parties seeking to end the conflict are hopeless.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The Home Service Insurance segment experienced a decline in premiums, attributed to strategic actions to improve sales quality and persistency, as well as economic pressures such as inflation.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
13 Mar. 2025
-
The tannins are well structured yet soft and the wine has great persistency in the finish.—
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
Robb Report,
2 May 2023
Noun
-
That the campaign has become a grind, with little entertainment on offer and an intransigence in the manager’s approach, has added to the sense of angst.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Tehran matched American and Israeli rigidity with intransigence and strategic overreach of its own.—
Mehrzad Boroujerdi,
The Conversation,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
China has gained, not suffered, from this obduracy.—
JONATHAN A. CZIN,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Nov. 2025
-
Related: ‘Neglected diseases’ are anything but neglected by the billion-plus people living with them One possible reason for this obduracy is that noma begins as a dental disease, and dental diseases have long been underappreciated global health concerns.—
John Button,
STAT,
16 Dec. 2023
Noun
-
Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Though the Durutti Column had been a disaster, Wilson was fascinated by the guitarist, who admired punk’s willfulness even though his own musical taste tended toward jazz, blues, and the classical tradition.—
Brad Shoup,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Centres come at a significant premium cost, and there’s a fair bit of regard for Hayton around the industry given his versatility, face-off winning ability, power-play utility and doggedness.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Corey Perry, winger, A- Joel Armia, forward, B Perry has delivered the doggedness the Kings came to expect from him as a longtime rival, along with his best per-game scoring rate since 2018.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For example, postpartum hair shedding often starts around three to five months post-childbirth, and resolves on its own within three to six months.—
Rebecca Strong,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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The war is also likely to harden the regime’s resolve to obtain a nuclear weapon, experts say.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stubbornness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stubbornness. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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