obdurate Hear it!

obdurate Definition

ob·du·rate (äbdo̵or it, -dyo̵or-)

adjective

  1. not easily moved to pity or sympathy; hardhearted
  2. hardened and unrepenting; impenitent
  3. not giving in readily; stubborn; obstinate; inflexible

Etymology: ME < L obduratus, pp. of obdurare, to harden < ob-, intens. (see ob-) + durare, to harden < durus, hard: see duress

obdurate Related Forms
ob·du·racy (--ə sē) noun ob·du·rately adverb
obdurate Synonyms

obdurate

modif.

stubborn, inflexible, unyielding; see callous, obstinate 1. See syn. study at inflexible.

obdurate Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • so: By more subtle methods he got what he wanted without having seemed so obdurate.
  • very: The chairman said ' You're a very obdurate young man ' .

Modifies a noun

  • mind: This concession to the general practitioner may have indicated a gentle ' wind of change ' beginning to stir obdurate official minds.
  • resistance: On three substantive issues, historians are likely, however, to maintain obdurate resistance to intellectual fashions that already look dated.
  • character: Durbach is an obdurate character with a good touch into the front court.

Used with adjective complement

  • remain: And if he doesn't regret it, and remains obdurate, we shall just have to kill him.
  • continue: This ought to have been enough for me, but I continued obdurate.

Browse dictionary entries near obdurate

  1. obcordate
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  3. obbligato
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  5. Obadiah
  6. Obad
  7. ob-
  8. OB-GYN
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  10. Ob
  1. obeah
  2. obedience
  3. obedient
  4. obediently
  5. obeisance
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  9. Oberammergau
  10. Oberhausen