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
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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
Most of these initiatives met obdurate resistance from more powerful sectors of the state, and by the end of Khatami’s second term, in 2005, the reform movement had lost much of its momentum.
—
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 8 Aug. 2025
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
Advertisement None of that has immunized the lowly smelt from its most obdurate enemy: partisan folly.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
Stalin’s apprenticeship in high-stakes diplomacy had shown him to be cunning but also opportunistic, avaricious, obdurate.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017
See All Example Sentences for obdurate
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 8 Aug. 2025
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
Advertisement None of that has immunized the lowly smelt from its most obdurate enemy: partisan folly.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
Stalin’s apprenticeship in high-stakes diplomacy had shown him to be cunning but also opportunistic, avaricious, obdurate.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2017
See All Example Sentences for obdurate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obdurate
Adjective
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The role of Chris Partlow, Marlo Stanfield's top lieutenant and ruthless hitman, was the first screen credit for Gbenga Akinnagbe.—
Derek Lawrence,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
-
Lexi is adrift in the ruthless world of Hollywood.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Grab a melamine sponge and get rid of stubborn bathtub stains in a jiffy.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
1 June 2026
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If the Avs remain stubborn and play a style that suits their stars in the regular season, MacKinnon might win another title, but will be at the end of his career with another team.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Having catalogued the Black Death’s horrifying effects, Ibn Khatima went on to outline a series of preventative measures and active treatments designed to combat this merciless scourge.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
-
The jokes on social media will be endless, and opposing fans will be merciless.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Officials with the Georgia Department of Transportation have been adamant that many of the major road closures and resurfacing projects are unrelated to the World Cup, and therefore are on a multi-year timeline.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Healthcare advocates are equally adamant.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Oscar Wilde, for example, reposes beneath a hulking deity whose iconoclastic castration, back in 1961, did little to restrain pilgrims seeking to smear red lips across his stony physique.—
Emily Cox,
ARTnews.com,
22 May 2026
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Instead of looking like a sleek urban loft, the room can quickly start to feel cold, stony, and impersonal.—
Natasha Bazika,
Martha Stewart,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The throughline of his life is his on-again, off-again friendship with, but also his steadfast love for a neighbor girl of the upper class, who challenges him repeatedly to become his better self.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Despite their steadfast opposition to the change, most in the college hockey world are resigning themselves to likely new reality.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Cuban leaders are believed to rely on hardened facilities, underground bunkers, tunnels, decoys, secure compounds and frequent movement.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
-
That means hardened infrastructure, redundant logistics, jointly developed air and missile defenses, more resilient energy systems, and upgrades to pipelines, ports, rail, and trade routes.—
Daniel Benaim,
Time,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obdurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obdurate. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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