1
: refusing to change your ideas or to stop doing something
She's wrong, but she's too stubborn to admit it.
I admire his stubborn refusal to quit.
She has a stubborn streak. [=she is often stubborn]
He's (as) stubborn as a mule. [=he's very/extremely stubborn]
2
: difficult to deal with, remove, etc.
stubborn hair
trying to treat a stubborn infection
a stubborn stain
Cite this Entry
“Stubborn.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/stubborn. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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