as in rebellion
refusal to obey
I wish that new hire would grow up—she still displays the refractoriness of a two-year-old
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refractoriness
Noun
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Executive produced by Mariska Hargitay, The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony is a lyrical coming-of-age journey as these girls turn their team into a small rebellion.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026 -
In Season 2, the two young couples will be tested and separated by forces beyond their control, as every clan chooses a side in the rebellion.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That hope is a powerful statement of defiance in the face of the realities of war and the broader sentiment in Israeli and Palestinian public opinion.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
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However, an artist’s innate defiance reaps the best art.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
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.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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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
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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Nanos reportedly has to answer for earlier disciplinary records that were not disclosed, including allegations of excessive force, insubordination, and a resignation instead of termination in 1982.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
10 Apr. 2026
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In local news, President Levy Mwanawasa has sacked his vice president, Nevers Mumba, for insubordination.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
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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
Noun
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Fernando Melo Flores, a 40-year-old Irvine resident, was charged with one felony count of possession of child pornography, one felony count of unauthorized computer access, and one misdemeanor count of willful disobedience of a court order.—
Ryanne Mena,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
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Others mistakenly describe these acts as flakiness, disobedience, laziness, or personal failure in the absence of context.—
Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone,
Kansas City Star,
10 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Refractoriness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refractoriness. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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