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Synonym Chooser

How is the word obdurate different from other adjectives like it?

The words adamant and inflexible are common synonyms of obdurate. While all three words mean "unwilling to alter a predetermined course or purpose," obdurate stresses hardness of heart and insensitivity to appeals for mercy or the influence of divine grace.

obdurate in his refusal to grant clemency

When can adamant be used instead of obdurate?

The words adamant and obdurate can be used in similar contexts, but adamant implies utter immovability in the face of all temptation or entreaty.

adamant that the work should continue

Where would inflexible be a reasonable alternative to obdurate?

While the synonyms inflexible and obdurate are close in meaning, inflexible implies rigid adherence or even slavish conformity to principle.

inflexible in their demands

Examples of obdurate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web By the spring of 1945, with Germany defeated, the Allies turned to an obdurate Japan. Peter Englund, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023 The camera often pans to the obdurate face of an office clock, showing time frozen but also inexorably passing—the burning fuse of Chow and Su’s relationship. Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2023 On Tuesday, Torres signed a pledge with a powerful association of some three-hundred eighty thousand military veterans who are notorious for their obdurate conservatism and belligerence. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2023 This is a line of chatter that was heavily promoted by the late private equity billionaire Peter G. Peterson, one of the most obdurate enemies of Social Security. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2023 See all Example Sentences for obdurate 

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

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Cite this Entry

“Obdurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obdurate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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