stubborn

stubborn Definition

stub·born (stub′ərn)

adjective

refusing to yield, obey, or comply; resisting doggedly or unreasonably; resolute or obstinate
done or carried on in an obstinate or doggedly persistent manner a stubborn campaign
hard to handle, treat, or deal with; intractable a stubborn cold

Etymology: ME stoburn, prob. < OE stubb, var. of stybb, stub

stubborn Related Forms

stub′·bornly adverb stub′·born·ness noun

stubborn Synonyms

modif.

stubborn Usage Examples

Preposition: at

time: They are generally good natured, although very stubborn at times, and really enjoy having friends and joining in group activities.

Preposition: as

mule: My dad liked to say Louie was as stubborn as the mules he drove through his fields.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

make: But I will make the king very stubborn, and he will not let the people go.

Modifies a noun

refusal: Another staff member would halt work to deal with a PC crash or a stubborn refusal to access the Web.
stain: For stubborn stains, refer to your Product Guide.
insistence: In her stubborn insistence on significance, Padel misses seduction entirely.
streak: Other than the perverse stubborn streak, the voice.
persistence: The reasons for the stubborn persistence of trachoma are clearly presented.
dirt: Remove any stubborn dirt with a sponge, damp cloth or brush.

Modifying Another Word

incredibly: Either we've all been incredibly stubborn and ignored the instructions or it just isn't going to work in a pastoral situation.
particularly: Particularly stubborn terrorists face even greater torment, however.
too: In fact most of them are too stubborn to train!
very: You will always have some stray, very stubborn hairs in the first few times you wax.
rather: Donkbeard quickly brushed the crumbs away but they were rather stubborn and he had to give his beard a bit of a tug.
really: On really stubborn marks use a little neat ammonia on a damp cloth.

Used with adjective complement

remain: But a small minority remain stubborn in their belief that without The Beatles the musical landscape would be a very different place.
become: But the king became stubborn again and did not let the people go.
prove: I've managed to shift some but there's still a circle about four inches in diameter that's proving very stubborn.
remove: Use a foam lance to cover all surfaces with foam, scrub walls and floor to remove stubborn soiling.
get: MN: If anything, you get more stubborn, more entrenched.

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