as in rebellion
refusal to obey
punished her recalcitrance by taking away her driving privileges
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Recent Examples of recalcitrance
The singer for the latter band, Liam Gallagher, disavowed the Rock Hall when his band was previously twice nominated, but the nominating committee did not hold his recalcitrance against him this year.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
But less than a month after proposing the inquiry, PURA released a decision abruptly canceling it and blaming the cancellation on utility recalcitrance.
—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
1 Feb. 2026
Holidays are far easier to add than to remove, and the resulting inflexibility, combined with the union’s recalcitrance, has made compliance with state law more difficult.
—
John Ketcham,
Washington Post,
28 Jan. 2026
The city faces large fines and legal fees, and might even lose its zoning power to a receiver because of its recalcitrance.
—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrance
Chris Willman,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
But less than a month after proposing the inquiry, PURA released a decision abruptly canceling it and blaming the cancellation on utility recalcitrance.
—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
1 Feb. 2026
Holidays are far easier to add than to remove, and the resulting inflexibility, combined with the union’s recalcitrance, has made compliance with state law more difficult.
—
John Ketcham,
Washington Post,
28 Jan. 2026
The city faces large fines and legal fees, and might even lose its zoning power to a receiver because of its recalcitrance.
—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recalcitrance
Noun
-
Amid a rebellion over the SAVE Act, Johnson lost control of the House floor for a second time this week, sending lawmakers home early for the July Fourth recess.
-
These battles have completely receded from the American imagination, even though, in some ways, the American rebellion was a sideshow to a far greater imperial drama.
Noun
-
His clippings included reporting on Black students facing higher rates of suspension for willful defiance and a cover story on Oak Park residents who offered a history of the neighborhood.
-
One defendant convicted by a jury continues to engage in noisy defiance.
Noun
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Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.
-
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.
Noun
-
Marji’s rebelliousness, both admirable and terrifying for those who love her, is her salient characteristic.
-
The pseudo-goth hair and costume choices speak to an inner rebelliousness that isn’t so much unleashed as forced loose by a system that values the appearance of a mythical impartiality over her humanity, leaving her with little recourse but to step outside the confines of the law.
Noun
-
No disrespect to Meredith Marks, of course, but this Bravo DJ epidemic has gotten out of control.
-
Managers frequently mistake flexibility for a weak work ethic, mental health discussions for fragility, transparency for disrespect, and feedback requests for neediness.
Noun
-
Their stories live on in Sardinian lore with an almost mythical quality, the brigands admired for their intractability.
-
But Bass and every council member and all their successors need to be reminded that a civic sense of intractability is a dangerous thing.
Noun
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Daemon chastising Ulf and Hugh over their disobedience, sowing the seeds of their discontent.
-
The Catholic Church teaches that all other people are conceived with original sin as a result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God in the Garden of Eden.
Cite this Entry
“Recalcitrance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recalcitrance. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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