as in stubbornness
a steadfast adherence to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
the mindless obstinacy of those people who continue to insist that the earth is flat
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obstinacy
For him, obstinacy was far worse than correction.
—
Shai Tubali, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025
The left’s obstinacy may carry a heavy political price.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
The collapse of 2023 was partly rooted in offensive obstinacy, stagnation and decline.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 23 July 2025
This seemed to me to stem not from carelessness or spite but obstinacy.
—Literary Hub, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for obstinacy
Shai Tubali, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025
The left’s obstinacy may carry a heavy political price.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
The collapse of 2023 was partly rooted in offensive obstinacy, stagnation and decline.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 23 July 2025
This seemed to me to stem not from carelessness or spite but obstinacy.
—Literary Hub, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for obstinacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obstinacy
Noun
-
In season one, Robby’s vulnerabilities were made evident through his trauma over the loss of his mentor during COVID; in the show’s next chapter, his vulnerabilities are shown through his stubbornness.—
Esther Zuckerman,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Given the stubbornness of beef prices, some investors may have feared inflation was running even hotter.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Approach the situation with patience and persistence, and stay focused on reaching a reasonable resolution for everyone involved.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Endurance meets firepower Performance analytics conducted so far indicate confidence in the MQ-9B’s ability to carry long-range weapons over significant distances while maintaining its hallmark persistence and endurance.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Feb. 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
-
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
-
China has gained, not suffered, from this obduracy.—
JONATHAN A. CZIN,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Nov. 2025
-
Related: ‘Neglected diseases’ are anything but neglected by the billion-plus people living with them One possible reason for this obduracy is that noma begins as a dental disease, and dental diseases have long been underappreciated global health concerns.—
John Button,
STAT,
16 Dec. 2023
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
Noun
-
Centres come at a significant premium cost, and there’s a fair bit of regard for Hayton around the industry given his versatility, face-off winning ability, power-play utility and doggedness.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Corey Perry, winger, A- Joel Armia, forward, B Perry has delivered the doggedness the Kings came to expect from him as a longtime rival, along with his best per-game scoring rate since 2018.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The news did not change Democrats' resolve to force operational changes within the department through the spending bill.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The collaborative work poured into this multi-agency operation is a testament to our resolve to turn the tide.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obstinacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obstinacy. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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