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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mulishness
Noun
-
The persistence of such moves has affected the country's tourism industry.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026 -
About two weeks after the couple’s trip took its unexpected turn, their persistence appears to have paid off.—
Blane Bachelor,
CNN Money,
14 Mar. 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
-
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Early hours test your resolve with emotional crosswinds.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
-
November 22 – December 21 Early hours test your resolve with emotional crosswinds.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Although efforts to stop the measure from appearing on the ballot on April 21 have failed, the state Supreme Court has already said the legal determination of whether the amendment is constitutional will be decided in court after voting has taken place.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The Golden Hawks put their heart and determination on display again Tuesday, coming back from a 14-point, third-quarter deficit to beat Leuzinger, 61-56, in the CIF Southern California Regional Division III championship game at El Dorado High.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Maybe this stubbornness won’t affect anything.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The 22-year-old had been relentless in her pursuit of a goal all match against rival Canada, and her stubbornness finally paid off in the 55th minute.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dunk’s intransigence can’t last, of course.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Their intransigence has proved unpopular.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
The orphan’s predicament is as much a matter of willfulness as of survival—inseparable, as in the works of Charles Dickens, from a dream of being somehow rescued by the idea of an adult world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Mulishness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mulishness. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
