intractable

adjective

in·​trac·​ta·​ble (ˌ)in-ˈtrak-tə-bəl How to pronounce intractable (audio)
1
: not easily governed, managed, or directed
intractable problems
2
: not easily relieved or cured
intractable pain
3
: not easily manipulated or shaped
intractable metal
intractability noun
intractably adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for intractable

unruly, ungovernable, intractable, refractory, recalcitrant, willful, headstrong mean not submissive to government or control.

unruly implies lack of discipline or incapacity for discipline and often connotes waywardness or turbulence of behavior.

unruly children

ungovernable implies either an escape from control or guidance or a state of being unsubdued and incapable of controlling oneself or being controlled by others.

ungovernable rage

intractable suggests stubborn resistance to guidance or control.

intractable opponents of the hazardous-waste dump

refractory stresses resistance to attempts to manage or to mold.

special schools for refractory children

recalcitrant suggests determined resistance to or defiance of authority.

acts of sabotage by a recalcitrant populace

willful implies an obstinate determination to have one's own way.

a willful disregard for the rights of others

headstrong suggests self-will impatient of restraint, advice, or suggestion.

a headstrong young cavalry officer

Examples of intractable in a Sentence

Contrary to the idea of black holes sucking everything, even light, into inconceivable nothingness, Hawking proposed that there was one thing that could escape a black hole's intractable grip: thermal radiation … Bruno Maddox, Discover, September 2006
Sepsis, which is what happens to the body when an infection goes bad, is one of mankind's oldest and most intractable foes. Leon Jaroff, Time, 24 July 2000
But now anesthesiologists have begun turning to an herb to help treat a deadly and often intractable lung condition that affects hundreds of thousands of people a year. Eric Nagourney, New York Times, 26 Oct. 1999
a patient experiencing intractable pain an intractable child who deliberately does the opposite of whatever he is told
Recent Examples on the Web Amid an intractable real estate crisis, fake luxury houses offer a delusion of one’s own. Cade Metz Balazs Gardi, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 In San Francisco, where street homelessness has posed a particularly intractable problem, early returns showed more than two-thirds of voters supporting the proposition. Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 As a result of all this, the U.S.-Israel relationship faces its most intractable challenge since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2024 The intractable problem of school gun violence is now pushing some prosecutors to consider a provocative — some say overdue — question: When a child picks up a gun and hurts or kills someone, should their parents be held responsible, too? Kim Bellware, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2024 But tracking down the life stories of the medallions those writers hid during the hunt’s early decades has proven to be nearly as intractable — and has led to a historic reunion for the Pioneer Press. Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2024 And sometimes, counseling sessions can uncover intractable issues that lead to couples deciding to part. Amy Dickinson, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2024 And sometimes, counseling sessions can uncover intractable issues which lead to couples deciding to part. Amy Dickinson, The Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2024 Unlike many friends, these two Israeli citizens come from opposite sides of one of the world’s most intractable conflicts. Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intractable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin intractabilis, from in- + tractabilis tractable

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of intractable was in 1531

Dictionary Entries Near intractable

Cite this Entry

“Intractable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intractable. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

intractable

adjective
in·​trac·​ta·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈtrak-tə-bəl How to pronounce intractable (audio)
1
: not easily managed or controlled
an intractable child
2
: not easily relieved or cured
intractable pain
intractability noun
intractably adverb

Medical Definition

intractable

adjective
in·​trac·​ta·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈtrak-tə-bəl How to pronounce intractable (audio)
1
: not easily managed or controlled (as by antibiotics or psychotherapy)
an intractable child
activity against many intractable Proteus and Pseudomonas species of bacteriaAnnual Report Pfizer
2
: not easily relieved or cured
intractable pain
intractable bleeding in duodenal ulcerJournal of the American Medical Association
intractability noun
plural intractabilities

More from Merriam-Webster on intractable

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