1
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
an intractable child who deliberately does the opposite of whatever he is told
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
given to resisting control or discipline by others
cats are by nature fairly intractable animals
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of intractable
The true test will be how Kennedy and his movement deals with much more pressing, and intractable, challenges in the American diet.
—
Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2025
This platform is being applied to biologic therapeutics, cell therapy for oncology and autoimmune diseases, and long-term intractable pain.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2025
But where others saw an intractable problem, Jean-François Archambault saw an opportunity.
—Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
But since the end of the Cold War, there have been many more wars in which early successes faltered, lost momentum, or didn’t quite achieve enough, transforming the conflicts into something far more intractable.
—Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intractable
Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2025
This platform is being applied to biologic therapeutics, cell therapy for oncology and autoimmune diseases, and long-term intractable pain.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2025
But where others saw an intractable problem, Jean-François Archambault saw an opportunity.
—Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
But since the end of the Cold War, there have been many more wars in which early successes faltered, lost momentum, or didn’t quite achieve enough, transforming the conflicts into something far more intractable.
—Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intractable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intractable
Adjective
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These two regions are no longer promising New World upstarts or rebellious outposts of Bordeaux.—
Jessica Dupuy,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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Meanwhile, Paul finds himself in a work crisis that puts the lifestyle of Julie and their rebellious son Russ (Simon Webster) in jeopardy, leading Julie back to the dopey sweetness of Carey.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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When tragedy strikes on Michigan roads—when a car skids off an icy bend or a semi-truck barrels through a red light—victims are often left to face not only devastating injuries but also a daunting legal maze of corporate denials and stubborn insurers.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
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Get The Recipe Smart Move Similar recipes with beans and peas existed before then, but a challenge made to a stubborn chef named Helen Corbitt spurred the creation of Texas caviar.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
17 May 2025
Adjective
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President Trump met with former rebel leader turned new president of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2025
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Incidents of violence by rebel groups fell from 1,936 in 2010 to 374 in 2024, according to data from the home ministry.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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The budget does, thankfully, enshrine the Department of Government Efficiency’s acknowledgment that federal sprawl has become unmanageable.—
Veronique de Rugy,
Twin Cities,
13 May 2025
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Each box weighed close to 30 pounds—cumbersome, though not unmanageable for a moderately-strong adult.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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The defiant message comes after weeks of intense news coverage and a Republican House committee investigation into Hope Florida and its nonprofit charity arm, the Hope Florida Foundation.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2025
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For weeks, Chinese officials had projected a defiant position, demanding the US remove all tariffs on China before agreeing to come to the negotiation table.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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Big cars, bigger trucks, two-dimensional women, recalcitrant men.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
9 May 2025
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While the markets have not responded kindly, the White House insists the tariffs are bringing recalcitrant nations to the bargaining table.—
Lexi Lonas Cochran,
The Hill,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Baldwin feels that such a response in the face of violence has to be a posture, an outright lie or a willful evasiveness.—
Andrew Moore,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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Reyes-Estrada was booked on suspicion of murder and willful harm and injury to a child likely to produce great bodily injury and is being held without bail, according to the news release.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Research shows that people under stress are more likely to give up, but only when the situation feels uncontrollable.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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Entire neighborhoods are retrofitted with clear glass domes that activate during extreme rainstorms and uncontrollable wildfires.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Intractable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intractable. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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