obstinacy

noun

ob·​sti·​na·​cy ˈäb-stə-nə-sē How to pronounce obstinacy (audio)
plural obstinacies
1
a
: the quality or state of being obstinate : stubbornness
She held to her own opinion with great obstinacy.
b
: the quality or state of being difficult to remedy, relieve, or subdue
the obstinacy of tuberculosis
2
: an instance of being obstinate
irritated by the senator's obstinacies

Examples of obstinacy in a Sentence

the mindless obstinacy of those people who continue to insist that the earth is flat
Recent Examples on the Web That is the popular girl’s cross to bear, and the desperate obstinacy that comes with this realization is one of Cody’s main themes. Rafaela Bassili, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2024 Odenkirk was one of several perfectly cast actors in the episode, a force capable of matching Bernthal’s intensity and obstinacy. Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2024 Politics, even now, is about more than baubles and encomia, and in their obstinacy, most voters remain at least somewhat interested in the policies that each candidate brings to the feast. Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 29 July 2024 The Korean experience also suggests that the obstinacy of Russian President Vladimir Putin—who, like Stalin, seems averse to compromise of any kind—could be especially obstructive. Carter Malkasian, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2023 See all Example Sentences for obstinacy 

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

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of obstinacy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near obstinacy

Cite this Entry

“Obstinacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obstinacy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

obstinacy

noun
ob·​sti·​na·​cy ˈäb-stə-nə-sē How to pronounce obstinacy (audio)
: the quality or state of being obstinate

Medical Definition

obstinacy

noun
ob·​sti·​na·​cy ˈäb-stə-nə-sē How to pronounce obstinacy (audio)
plural obstinacies
: the quality or state of being obstinate
the obstinacy of tuberculosis

More from Merriam-Webster on obstinacy

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