as in obdurateness
a steadfast adherence to an opinion, purpose, or course of action
cursed their mulishness for failing to own up to what seemed like an obvious mistake to him
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mulishness
Noun
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His persistence in teaching, even under Lomax’s punitive schedules, shows his resilience.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026 -
Four years after graduating from college, my persistence, patience, and a bit of luck paid off.—
Andy Strasberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The Home Service Insurance segment experienced a decline in premiums, attributed to strategic actions to improve sales quality and persistency, as well as economic pressures such as inflation.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
13 Mar. 2025
-
The tannins are well structured yet soft and the wine has great persistency in the finish.—
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
Robb Report,
2 May 2023
Noun
-
Because of my resolve on this, unlike that of our current House leadership, this campaign is also endorsed by Courage for Democracy.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
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But a patient pugilist values the muffled thud of shots to the resolve.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
Bates also expressed concern that, under the Administration’s view of the case, its determination that the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional cannot be challenged in court.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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There is a hyper awareness to TSADACM, a determination to point out each of its Easter eggs and allusions, lest the viewer think Schoenbrun is trying to outsmart anyone.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Still, tension rises when your need for reassurance clashes with pride or stubbornness.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
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Letter writer worries mom’s stubbornness will limit visits just as parents are aging.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Instead, the courts are dealing with intransigence from the city.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
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In Kyiv, Orbán’s intransigence had scuttled various European initiatives to aid Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government in the country’s with Russia.—
Rafi Schwartz,
TheWeek,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
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The White House does not seem to have a workaround to Putin’s obstinacy, and Rubio told Hannity that all other parties seeking to end the conflict are hopeless.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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Though the Durutti Column had been a disaster, Wilson was fascinated by the guitarist, who admired punk’s willfulness even though his own musical taste tended toward jazz, blues, and the classical tradition.—
Brad Shoup,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Mulishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mulishness. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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