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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Cho's team has demanded the death sentence for Yoon by viewing his martial law imposition as a rebellion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026 -
The Gettysburg campaign was, in other words, a strategic offensive meant to advance the overall goals of the rebellion if not win the conflict altogether.—
Jamelle Bouie,
Mercury News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Activists arrested in defiance of The Homeland have had their portraits altered via AI.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This, too, gave audiences a sense of being in-the-moment, offering a contemporary upgrade for our current times, showing a bit of defiance, a bit of dishevelment and a sense of personality that’s often lost in the polished, proper world of high fashion.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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While this change reduces the explicit admission of willfulness, a narrative is still required.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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At times, Carol’s admirable rebelliousness seems to come at the cost of self-flagellating destruction, a badge of honor to be miserable.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
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The performance goes from fiery to ineffectual as DiCaprio’s character, Bob, loses his youthful rebelliousness in a haze of pot and resignation.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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He was terminated over allegations of abuse of power, insubordination, abuse of leave policies, and failure to report damage to a department vehicle.—
Brian Maass,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Green Thumb asserted Contreras was terminated for insubordination and other reasons.—
Dan Eaton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The city faces large fines and legal fees, and might even lose its zoning power to a receiver because of its recalcitrance.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
19 Nov. 2025
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Ukraine and its European allies have urged Trump to take tougher action in response to Russia’s recalcitrance. Applying sanctions on countries that do business with Russia will have a wide-ranging impact including on some U.S. allies and will ramp up pressure on Russia and its struggling economy.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The passenger was arrested, and now faces charges of crime of resistance and disobedience.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
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The streak of disobedience and Alonso’s demoralised acceptance of it summed up a coach who had hit a dead end.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Refractoriness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refractoriness. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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