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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refractoriness
Noun
-
Kirk's assassination is the most high-profile example yet of what extremism researchers at the NCRI see as an increasingly dangerous normalization of political violence—often masked as satire, rebellion, or dark humor online.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025 -
One accommodation, the Rebel Suite, takes its design cues from the sea rebellions of Islay, full of nautical references, striking patterns, and bold green and blue hues.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Protesters took to the streets again in the capital Tuesday in defiance of a curfew imposed on the city center, and after the government lifted the social media ban.—
Sugam Pokharel,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
-
But anger against the government showed no signs of abating, as protesters gathered in front of parliament and other places in the capital Kathmandu, in defiance of an indefinite curfew imposed by authorities.—
Gopal Sharma,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
While this change reduces the explicit admission of willfulness, a narrative is still required.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This element of female rebelliousness is very important to me.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Noun
-
The experience haunts Ortegas through the season, affecting her morale and pushing her even into outright insubordination.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
-
So no one gets married, but Brian does get a bunch of lashes for his insubordination.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
One reason for Trump’s ire, presumably, is that Putin’s recalcitrance places the president in a tough political spot.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Many individuals remain out of necessity, not due to willful disobedience , but because of sudden changes in personal or political circumstances—including armed conflict, economic collapse, or family emergencies.—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Thanks to that act of disobedience, the document is now preserved at Fort Ligonier.—
Aurora Martínez,
Smithsonian Magazine,
18 July 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Refractoriness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refractoriness. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share