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
Relevance
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
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
Still, this initial success against such a recalcitrant tumor has broader implications for using personalized mRNA vaccines to target other common tumors that have so far been resistant to other kinds of immunotherapy, Balachandran says.
—
Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2025
Considering that Crystal’s box office registers in the billions, what chance would the author have of getting a recalcitrant Crystal fired?
—Greg Carannante, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2025
Or does so only briefly in the ambiguous ending, when Sofia throws off the last vestiges of her passivity and forces her recalcitrant mother into a reckoning with her condition.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
In an interview from a factory floor in El Salvador on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that foreign aid spending does not support U.S. aims and that USAID, the main conduit for foreign assistance, has been recalcitrant.
—Bycatherine Offord, science.org, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2025
Considering that Crystal’s box office registers in the billions, what chance would the author have of getting a recalcitrant Crystal fired?
—Greg Carannante, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2025
Or does so only briefly in the ambiguous ending, when Sofia throws off the last vestiges of her passivity and forces her recalcitrant mother into a reckoning with her condition.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
In an interview from a factory floor in El Salvador on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that foreign aid spending does not support U.S. aims and that USAID, the main conduit for foreign assistance, has been recalcitrant.
—Bycatherine Offord, science.org, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recalcitrant
Adjective
-
And if his readership remained informed on his doings, the prince and his supporters didn’t succeed in silencing him and the rest of the rebellious faction.—
Emily Zarevich,
JSTOR Daily,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Wearing cowboy boots with shorts is not only a bold stylistic choice but also a practical way to dress for warm weather without giving up the rustic and rebellious touch that the boots bring.—
René Chávez Esparza,
Glamour,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite growing consternation and concern expressed by economists and CEOs, Trump administration officials have been stubborn in defending its trade policies.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Ocasio-Cortez might have a good shot at cracking that stubborn nut.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
President Trump’s military and intelligence leaders inadvertently shared classified military information on a Houthi rebel attack with a magazine editor which was published online.—
Rick Pozniak,
Boston Herald,
1 Apr. 2025
-
In the fresh extended footage shown, DiCaprio’s former yippie Bob is seen negotiating with a difficult underground rebel contact who knows the whereabouts of his daughter (played by Chase Infiniti).—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
One intractable problem with racial classifications was that the differences in human physical traits were tiny, so scientists struggled to use them to differentiate between groups.—
John P. Jackson,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2025
-
To cement his legacy, however, and for a grand strategy to materialize, the country and its national security leaders will need to overcome some fundamental and maybe intractable contradictions.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
More: China defiant, accuses Trump of 'blackmail' over 104% tariff threat: Live updates On Monday, Trump described similar negotiations underway with Japan as world leaders try to convince the U.S. president to roll back his new tariffs on all imports.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
-
What To Know Trump has remained defiant despite mounting fears of recession and a plunging stock market.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The study found that women account for 3.4 percent of the construction labor force and 4 percent for industrial and refractory machinery mechanics.—
Ashley Fredde,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2025
-
While cannabinoids offer a potential alternative for refractory chronic pain, optimal use requires personalized dosing and further high-quality trials targeting specific pain subtypes.—
Tribune Content Agency,
The Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
After a wayward drive, Morikawa had to punch out from the pine straw.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Her mother’s pullets were raised clean on a green yard, on a menu of crushed corn and wayward bugs, not manufactured in the crowd and reek of a modern-day factory farm, fattened on fish meal.—
Rick Bragg,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Common Mental Health Conditions in Men Depression Depression causes disruptive, uncontrollable feelings of sadness and emptiness.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Already, we are haunted by the specters of nuclear warfare and uncontrollable climate change.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Recalcitrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recalcitrant. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share