refractory
adjective
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Definition of refractory
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : resisting control or authority : stubborn, unmanageable
2a : resistant to treatment or cure a refractory lesion
b : unresponsive to stimulus
c : immune, insusceptible after recovery they were refractory to infection
3 : difficult to fuse, corrode, or draw out especially : capable of enduring high temperature
refractory
nounDefinition of refractory (Entry 2 of 2)
: a refractory person or thing especially : a heat-resisting ceramic material
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Other Words from refractory
Adjective
ˌrē-ˌfrak-ˈtȯr-ə-lē,
ri-
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adverb
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noun
Synonyms & Antonyms for refractory
Synonyms: Adjective
balky, contrary, contumacious, defiant, disobedient, froward, incompliant, insubordinate, intractable, obstreperous, rebel, rebellious, recalcitrant, recusant, restive, ungovernable, unruly, untoward, wayward, willful (or wilful)
Antonyms: Adjective
amenable, biddable, compliant, conformable, docile, obedient, ruly, submissive, tractable
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Examples of refractory in a Sentence
Adjective
refractory players will be ejected from the game believing that rules are only for other people, he's been refractory virtually his entire lifeRecent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Soon Maggie seems to be channeling him, both in her refractory behavior and in her strange, scrawled paintings. — Sam Sacks, WSJ, "Fiction Chronicle: Under West Indian Eyes," 18 May 2018 One featured patients with refractory celiac disease type 2, the most severe form of celiac disease. — Sumathi Reddy, WSJ, "The Dilemma of the Gluten-Free Diet," 16 Apr. 2018 But 5% of heart failure remains refractory to medical treatment, and in these patients palliative care has been shown to improve patient satisfaction and decrease costs. — Marc Siegel, WSJ, "Barbara Bush Faces Death With Courage," 16 Apr. 2018 It’s being used in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow. — Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Poseida raises $30.5 million for cancer cell therapy," 4 Apr. 2018 Mugnaini imports the core elements — the Italian firebrick floor and the refractory-clay crown — and workers assemble the modular ovens in her 14,000-square-foot Healdsburg facility. — Janet Fletcher, San Francisco Chronicle, "Why not wood-fire all your meals?," 17 Jan. 2018 All of these participants were also taking opioids, but still experiencing refractory pain. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "Olivia Newton-John Uses Medical Cannabis to Help With Her Cancer Pain," 21 Sep. 2017 The ketogenic diet was developed nearly 100 years ago to reduce seizures in children with refractory epilepsy. — Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Food, diet and supplements: The story behind the story," 6 May 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'refractory.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for refractory
refractory
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of refractory
medical : difficult to treat or cure
: difficult to control or deal with
See the full definition for refractory in the English Language Learners Dictionary
refractory
adjective
\
Kids Definition of refractory
1 : resisting control or authority : stubborn a refractory child
2 : capable of enduring very high temperatures refractory clays
refractory
adjective
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Medical Definition of refractory
1 : resistant to treatment or cure a refractory fulminant lesion had disease that was extremely refractory to multiple intensive therapies— Michelle L. Bennett et al
2 : unresponsive to stimulus the refractory period of a muscle fiber
3 : resistant or not responding to an infectious agent : immune refractory to reinfection
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