as in rebellion
refusal to obey
punished her recalcitrance by taking away her driving privileges
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 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
-
The #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements can be seen as, at least partially, a brief rebellion against this culture of elite impunity.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Season two of Robin Hood expands the world beyond Sherwood and Nottingham into the treacherous courts of England, France, and Rome, transforming the outlaw rebellion into a high stakes battle for the soul of a kingdom.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Now, Zelenskyy’s defiance of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion has taken on an increasingly exasperated, if not desperate, tone.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
24 Feb. 2026
-
To someone unfamiliar with the condition, all could be mistaken for intoxication, defiance or guilt.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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
-
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
-
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
-
In the political aftermath, former and current leadership seized on the incident to fault Mamdani’s leadership, saying the mayor’s earlier criticisms of the NYPD had fostered a climate of disrespect for law enforcement.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Hundreds of Buddhist monks rallied in the capital of Sri Lanka on Friday to protest alleged government disrespect of their religion and disregard for a long-standing tradition that they be consulted in matters of state.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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 3 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
