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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective intractable differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of intractable are headstrong, recalcitrant, refractory, ungovernable, unruly, and willful. While all these words mean "not submissive to government or control," intractable suggests stubborn resistance to guidance or control.

intractable opponents of the hazardous-waste dump

When would headstrong be a good substitute for intractable?

The synonyms headstrong and intractable are sometimes interchangeable, but headstrong suggests self-will impatient of restraint, advice, or suggestion.

a headstrong young cavalry officer

When is recalcitrant a more appropriate choice than intractable?

Although the words recalcitrant and intractable have much in common, recalcitrant suggests determined resistance to or defiance of authority.

acts of sabotage by a recalcitrant populace

When can refractory be used instead of intractable?

While in some cases nearly identical to intractable, refractory stresses resistance to attempts to manage or to mold.

special schools for refractory children

Where would ungovernable be a reasonable alternative to intractable?

The words ungovernable and intractable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

When is it sensible to use unruly instead of intractable?

The words unruly and intractable can be used in similar contexts, but unruly implies lack of discipline or incapacity for discipline and often connotes waywardness or turbulence of behavior.

unruly children

When could willful be used to replace intractable?

The meanings of willful and intractable largely overlap; however, willful implies an obstinate determination to have one's own way.

a willful disregard for the rights of others

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of intractable Rather, the goal is to maximise investment returns – Mounsey-Heysham and his co-founders just happen to believe the best way to do that is to identify companies with convincing answers to large and seemingly intractable societal problems. David Prosser, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 When paired with a custom interpolation algorithm, this tensor-train technique makes an intractable problem solvable at a faster rate. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025 The most politically divisive, intractable issues affect our sense of self and our sense of agency. Sarah Stein Lubrano, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025 The challenges have also stirred strong emotions, as advocates take two different approaches to solving what can seem like an intractable problem. Idaho Statesman, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for intractable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intractable
Adjective
  • The Western world is experiencing something of a psychedelic renaissance, with an increasing amount of interest in drugs that decades ago were considered rebellious and dangerous to some groups but fun to others who used it while clubbing and attending raves.
    Soph Warnes, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Bob and Zoyd are both paranoid in the wake of their rebellious pasts.
    Andrew McGowan, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Originally bred in Germany to hunt badgers, these small canines are energetic, bold and stubborn.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Both options meant navigating some stubborn supporters.
    Kevin Coulson, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Nine months after the longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled by a rebel offensive, Syria faces a litany of new challenges.
    Caroline Rose, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Iran and later Russia dispatched troops to save him, while Turkey and Gulf states backed rebel militias.
    Robin Yassin-Kassab, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Digital exhaustion increased to 84% in 2025 from 75% the prior year, while unmanageable workloads also rose to 77%, per the report.
    Sawdah Bhaimiya Aisha Ditta, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2025
  • For many families, those costs are unmanageable, and yet the emotional toll of being far away is even higher.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Though the song order is Easter egg intentional – as with everything Swift – it’s bookended by a declaration of romantic salvation and a narrative from the perspective of a weary, yet defiant showgirl.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Polis has sought to avoid public fights with the federal government over immigration, unlike his more publicly defiant counterparts in Illinois and California.
    Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Anderson plunges the audience into the rebels’ point of view, immersing us in the recalcitrant pride and swagger of Perfidia Beverly Hills, a revolutionary leader played by Teyana Taylor with a hypnotic sneer of defiance.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Congress remains recalcitrant to gun reform even after the gruesome scenes at Parkland, Uvalde, and Sandy Hook.
    John J. Donohue, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Miller was charged with domestic abuse assault, willful injury and kidnapping, according to the sheriff.
    Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2025
  • He has been charged with armed kidnapping, willful injury, domestic abuse assault with the intent to inflict serious injuries and obstruction of emergency communications, according to public court records.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The ransom notes that followed stirred up an uncontrollable press storm, but when the culprits fell silent, the police faltered, and Catriona and Adam were never seen again.
    Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
  • These faulty proteins accumulate in a deep brain structure called the striatum and cause symptoms such as uncontrollable movements, muscle spasms and cognitive decline that worsen over time.
    Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Intractable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intractable. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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