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Synonym Chooser

How is the word obdurate different from other adjectives like it?

The words adamant and inflexible are common synonyms of obdurate. While all three words mean "unwilling to alter a predetermined course or purpose," obdurate stresses hardness of heart and insensitivity to appeals for mercy or the influence of divine grace.

obdurate in his refusal to grant clemency

When can adamant be used instead of obdurate?

The words adamant and obdurate can be used in similar contexts, but adamant implies utter immovability in the face of all temptation or entreaty.

adamant that the work should continue

Where would inflexible be a reasonable alternative to obdurate?

While the synonyms inflexible and obdurate are close in meaning, inflexible implies rigid adherence or even slavish conformity to principle.

inflexible in their demands

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 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 Advertisement 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
  • Hunted by the ruthless crime boss that Don worked for and learned all the boss’s sinister secrets — Perlman plays him — Don has a reason to seek redemption.
    Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Witness Alex Hales’ ruthless removal.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Of all the bad-hair-day culprits, matted hair can be the most stubborn and frustrating.
    Grace McCarty, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Spills can be blotted (never rubbed) with a dry cloth since the fabric is non-absorptive, and for more stubborn stains, dry cleaning is recommended.
    Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In 1918, Bolshevik secret police forced Anastasia Romanov and her imperial family into a damp basement to face a merciless firing squad.
    Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
  • The lengthy, merciless caption is basically the rock equivalent of Miranda Priestly’s cerulean sweater takedown.
    Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • As such, Mahomes evidently not only is immune to complacency but actually has become more adamant with success.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
  • After taking a year off to improve his health, Renfrow was adamant about playing for the Panthers.
    DIAMOND VENCES, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • No expensive meter running that is racking up hefty bills and stony fees.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • But Bana is not as believable when asked to drop his stony demeanor and display vulnerability, a shortcoming that hampers his arc in the back half of the season.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 July 2025
Adjective
  • Labyrinth’s themes, characters, and evocative visual artistry remain a steadfast inspiration for artists of all mediums.
    Logan Karlie September 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Alan, equally steadfast in his conviction, sees the model as both economic and morally justified.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Tren de Aragua originated more than a decade ago at an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals in Venezuela’s central state of Aragua.
    Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
  • By breeding Florida’s hardened survivors with Honduran corals, the scientists hope to create offspring that will carry a new heat-resistant genetic armor for the climate battles ahead.
    Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Obdurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obdurate. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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