recalcitrant

adjective

ri-ˈkal-sə-trənt How to pronounce recalcitrant (audio)
Definition of recalcitrantnext
1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control the manager worried that the recalcitrant employee would try to undermine his authority

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
given to resisting control or discipline by others a heart-to-heart talk with the recalcitrant youth revealed that he had a troubled life at home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective recalcitrant differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of recalcitrant are headstrong, intractable, refractory, ungovernable, unruly, and willful. While all these words mean "not submissive to government or control," recalcitrant suggests determined resistance to or defiance of authority.

acts of sabotage by a recalcitrant populace

When is headstrong a more appropriate choice than recalcitrant?

The words headstrong and recalcitrant can be used in similar contexts, but headstrong suggests self-will impatient of restraint, advice, or suggestion.

a headstrong young cavalry officer

When might intractable be a better fit than recalcitrant?

While the synonyms intractable and recalcitrant are close in meaning, intractable suggests stubborn resistance to guidance or control.

intractable opponents of the hazardous-waste dump

When could refractory be used to replace recalcitrant?

While in some cases nearly identical to recalcitrant, refractory stresses resistance to attempts to manage or to mold.

special schools for refractory children

Where would ungovernable be a reasonable alternative to recalcitrant?

Although the words ungovernable and recalcitrant have much in common, ungovernable implies either an escape from control or guidance or a state of being unsubdued and incapable of controlling oneself or being controlled by others.

ungovernable rage

In what contexts can unruly take the place of recalcitrant?

The words unruly and recalcitrant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, unruly implies lack of discipline or incapacity for discipline and often connotes waywardness or turbulence of behavior.

unruly children

When would willful be a good substitute for recalcitrant?

The synonyms willful and recalcitrant are sometimes interchangeable, but willful implies an obstinate determination to have one's own way.

a willful disregard for the rights of others

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of recalcitrant Initially blocked by recalcitrant Democratic members of the House, the legislation was reintroduced during a lame-duck session following the 2024 election. — Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026 Yet even a recalcitrant Pretoria is mulling changes to telecom laws that could eventually clear a path for the company. — Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 22 May 2026 Cue a mordantly absurd scene where his chance to land a position in the administration hinges on him successfully retrieving a precious package from a muddy field behind enemy lines, which turns out to be a damp and recalcitrant cat. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 20 May 2026 Pritzker recently proposed a much more far-reaching set of bills that combine carrots and sticks to deal with recalcitrant municipalities. — Michael Schill, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recalcitrant
  1. rebellious
  2. stubborn
  3. rebel
  4. intractable
  5. defiant
  6. refractory
  7. wayward
  8. uncontrollable
Adjective
  • The shoes appeared similar to the popular DSquared 2 Riri heeled sandals, which are also a sleek, seductive and rebellious style with towering heels and straps that wrap around the foot and ankle with super-thin leather ties.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Suzanne’s kind of rebellious temperament brought a lucidity to that character.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebellious
Adjective
  • The Federal Reserve is also hiking rates again to rein in stubborn inflation.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Pair that with five years of stubborn inflation, and workers are losing even more ground.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of stubborn
Adjective
  • Capturing towns and roads would hamper Tigrayan fighters without necessarily securing the vast rural areas where the rebel forces regrouped during the previous war, Taylor said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Main roads leading Yemen’s third-largest city have been closed amid rebel attacks, with regular clashes on the outskirts and overnight bombardment.
    — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebel
Adjective
  • For Che, wrestling with all sides of seemingly intractable issues—like figuring out how to solve the gun violence epidemic in our country—is what generates the comedy.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In Massachusetts and Maine, that approval is also contingent on the federal government finding a long-term solution to the seemingly intractable problem of storing radioactive nuclear waste.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of intractable
Adjective
  • From men wearing pink to push back against the pressures of toxic masculinity to women pushing back against unrealistic body standards, pink has become a color of defiant empathy.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Hazlewood broke the defiant stand between Markram and Wiaan Mulder that started late Monday and endured for nearly two more hours on Tuesday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of defiant
Adjective
  • However, many current refractory alloys are difficult or impossible to manufacture reliably using these techniques.
    — Vitor Rielli, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2026
  • These warm hundreds of tonnes of refractory bricks to temperatures up to 1,500 °C.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of refractory
Adjective
  • The wayward squash is now secured with paracord, baling twine and corkscrew spikes, with everything tied off to two tractors.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The movie offered a sly critique of Korea’s rapid urbanization, and introduced the wayward types (bar girls, severely disabled men) that would populate all of Lee’s films.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of wayward
Adjective
  • When energy is left stranded in a battery that becomes submerged in salt water, that can lead to a short circuit and an uncontrollable increase in temperature.
    — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Elementary school students may have tantrums, be clingy, have toileting accidents, engage in uncontrollable crying or become less talkative as a result of changes in schools, homes and caregivers.
    — Nikki R Wooten, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of uncontrollable

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recalcitrancy
recalcitrant
recalculate
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Cite this Entry

“Recalcitrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recalcitrant. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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