as in rebellion
refusal to obey
punished her recalcitrance by taking away her driving privileges
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Recent Examples of recalcitrance
Rather than coercing Ukraine into war-ending concessions, however, this gambit only spotlighted the frailty of the bonds between Kyiv and Washington under the Trump administration and led the Kremlin to double down on its strategy of diplomatic recalcitrance and intensified military pressure.
—
Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025
A certain recalcitrance has always been part of what makes Rosalía so compelling.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Moreover, Trump’s recalcitrance regarding support for military action over Taiwan is broadly shared by its allies.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
In an ideal world, Putin’s recalcitrance to end his folly will at least finally convince Trump that there is not and was never going to be a quick and easy solution that he could be seen to personally mediate in his apparent quest to get a Nobel peace prize.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrance
Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025
A certain recalcitrance has always been part of what makes Rosalía so compelling.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Moreover, Trump’s recalcitrance regarding support for military action over Taiwan is broadly shared by its allies.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
In an ideal world, Putin’s recalcitrance to end his folly will at least finally convince Trump that there is not and was never going to be a quick and easy solution that he could be seen to personally mediate in his apparent quest to get a Nobel peace prize.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recalcitrance
Noun
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Burlington Central’s Mackenzie Lorkowski traced the roots of her career to a small act of rebellion.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
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As Fisk's anti-vigilante task force abducts dissidents off the street, locking them away in an undisclosed warehouse full of cages, Daredevil (Charlie Cox) becomes a symbol of rebellion for those willing to fight back.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Robin Wright explains that the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new leader signals defiance.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
17 Mar. 2026
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But Saturday's launches appeared to dim such hopes, signaling defiance by Pyongyang, which in recent months has hardened its stance toward Seoul and urged Washington to drop denuclearization demands as a precondition for talks.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
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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.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
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The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And no disrespect to the two winners in this category, both fine shorts.—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
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This disrespect shows me these employees aren’t valued.—
Jay Reddick,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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More to the point, the government's understaffing and high caseload is a problem of its own making and absolutely does not justify flagrant disobedience of court orders.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
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As litigation commenced and DHS officials were called to testify, judges became frustrated at the rampant false testimony and disobedience of the government.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Recalcitrance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recalcitrance. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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