1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the manager worried that the recalcitrant employee would try to undermine his authority
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
given to resisting control or discipline by others
a heart-to-heart talk with the recalcitrant youth revealed that he had a troubled life at home
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 recalcitrant
The president’s biggest tool has been his willingness to impose high tariffs or punitive sanctions on the recalcitrant parties, showing that the United States’ vast economic power can be as useful as its military might in ending sticky conflicts.
—
Robert C. O’Brien, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2025
Ukraine has seen Europe step financially and militarily into the void left by America, and then seen the same recalcitrant White House offer them its best missiles.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
William meanwhile remained recalcitrant.
—Stacy Schiff, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Congress remains recalcitrant to gun reform even after the gruesome scenes at Parkland, Uvalde, and Sandy Hook.
—John J. Donohue, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Robert C. O’Brien, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2025
Ukraine has seen Europe step financially and militarily into the void left by America, and then seen the same recalcitrant White House offer them its best missiles.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
William meanwhile remained recalcitrant.
—Stacy Schiff, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Congress remains recalcitrant to gun reform even after the gruesome scenes at Parkland, Uvalde, and Sandy Hook.
—John J. Donohue, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recalcitrant
Adjective
-
On June 15, 1215, rebellious nobles compelled King John of England to sign the Magna Carta.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The 8-episode first season charts the improbable ascent of Joe and Rose Kennedy and their nine children, including rebellious second son Jack, who struggles to escape the shadow of his golden boy older brother.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Across the Rockies and beyond, many of our favorite mountains were haunted by unseasonably warm spikes and stubborn weather patterns that shut out snow for weeks on end.—
Kristen Geil,
Outside,
31 Mar. 2026
-
For stubborn blockages, a plumber’s snake can help break things loose.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In a message Monday on X, Sánchez said that so far there were no signs indicating that the plane was attacked by rebel groups that operate near Puerto Leguizamo.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Petro, a leftist who was a member of a rebel group in his youth, has attempted to stage peace talks with Colombia’s remaining rebel groups under a strategy known as total peace.—
Manuel Rueda,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Apollo Records ambient-house longplayer impregnated with weed smoke, working simultaneously from the intractable computer logic of vintage IDM and the loose rules of a jam session.—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The state is a target of ceaseless social media and internet criticism, some of it far-fetched but, unfortunately, much of it is deserved, such as its seemingly intractable homelessness crisis.—
Dan Walters,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In mid-19th century Iran, painter Nowruz falls for a fearlessly defiant Roma fortune teller, sparking their desperate flight and a tragic saga echoing down generations, the synopsis runs.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Near the close of the No Kings rally in Lincolnwood on Saturday afternoon, the chants rang out from beneath the waving American flag with a defiant twist.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
These warm hundreds of tonnes of refractory bricks to temperatures up to 1,500 °C.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Oct. 2025
-
This is, by far, the most common TES approach in industry, with most companies using legacy technologies like refractory bricks and molten salt to store heat in insulated shipping containers.—
Erik Kobayashi-Solomon,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Her discretion included Prince Harry and Meghan, her wayward grandson and his controversial bride.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Deborah Sengupta Stith moved to Austin as a wayward liberal arts graduate in the ‘90s and promptly fell into the city’s music scene.—
Deborah Sengupta Stith,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Luari dismisses that speculation, saying her problems are not tied to her rapid expansion, but rather uncontrollable financial setbacks.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
-
These caps could eliminate the secret runway to uncontrollable superhuman capabilities while still allowing beneficial AI development.—
J. Xavier Prochaska,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Recalcitrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recalcitrant. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
