1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
the obdurate refusal of the crotchety old man to let the neighborhood kids retrieve their stray ball from his backyard
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
an obdurate farmer who could never be convinced to try a different method of fertilization
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obdurate
Ipswich proved obdurate and then generous opponents — Newcastle’s 78 per cent possession was the highest by any team in a Premier League match this season — and their relegation was confirmed by this 3-0 defeat.
—
George Caulkin, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Whatever regime emerges could well be even more radical and obdurate.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2025
None of that has immunized the lowly smelt from its most obdurate enemy: partisan folly.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
Nevertheless, Biden’s obdurate unwillingness to step aside for younger, more plausible Democratic candidates resulted in the reëmergence of his nemesis.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obdurate
George Caulkin, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Whatever regime emerges could well be even more radical and obdurate.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2025
None of that has immunized the lowly smelt from its most obdurate enemy: partisan folly.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
Nevertheless, Biden’s obdurate unwillingness to step aside for younger, more plausible Democratic candidates resulted in the reëmergence of his nemesis.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obdurate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obdurate
Adjective
-
The ruthless conglomerate's logo, base, ships, and equipment are featured throughout the film, in addition to the synths themselves.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Nov. 2025
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Earlier stories in that newspaper described López Torres as a ruthless trafficker who has killed dozens and was earlier aligned with Colombia’s right-wing paramilitary forces, known as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, or the Spanish acronym AUC.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
That tone—of pain, of surprise, of a stubborn refusal to be reduced or diminished—is everywhere in it.—
Questlove,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
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If the stain is stubborn, add a few drops of dish soap to the water and vinegar mixture.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Following the deaths of his brother William (Felix Kammerer) and his sister-in-law Elizabeth (Mia Goth), Victor vows vengeance on the Creature and dedicates the rest of his life to a merciless pursuit of him.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
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The book, which is from Australia, follows Bee and her fellow runaways, who discover a new friend, Paco, is a Lost Boy from Neverland who needs them to fight hordes of pirates led by a merciless new leader.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The attorney general was adamant that if Running Fence broke the law, workers would be arrested and jailed, and contractors would lose their licenses.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Lownie is adamant that their friendship dates back to 1991.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Needless to say, the sanctions, Trump’s criticism of Putin and the cancelation of in-person talks, elicited a stony silence from Moscow on Thursday.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
23 Oct. 2025
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Madewell Crewneck Cutaway Vest A stony tan vest might just be the sleeper hit of the season.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The balance of power in Mississippi is shifting away from extremism and chaos and toward champions of working families, driven by Democrats’ steadfast commitment to their communities.—
Daniel Orton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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But the disruption is already wreaking havoc on the normally steadfast program.—
Christian Orozco,
NBC news,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Still, some military analysts remain cautious, noting that satellites are built to endure intense cosmic radiation with hardened components and shielding, leaving open the question of whether such directed energy could penetrate these defenses.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
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If this group of hardened degenerates was able to enjoy the action at this level, who, exactly, are the spiritual victims of sports betting?—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obdurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obdurate. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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