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
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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
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Recent Examples of recalcitrant
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
The painstaking, patient diplomacy of the U.S. administration and its fellow mediators, Qatar and Egypt, has failed to push Israel and Hamas, and particularly their recalcitrant leaders, across the finish line.
—Andrew P. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet must approve it, and given the far-right, recalcitrant members of that group, approval is not guaranteed.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
According to Cartwright, both recalcitrant and cooperative countries have seen reductions in border encounters, regardless of deportation flights.
—Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Bycatherine Offord, science.org, 5 Feb. 2025
The painstaking, patient diplomacy of the U.S. administration and its fellow mediators, Qatar and Egypt, has failed to push Israel and Hamas, and particularly their recalcitrant leaders, across the finish line.
—Andrew P. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet must approve it, and given the far-right, recalcitrant members of that group, approval is not guaranteed.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
According to Cartwright, both recalcitrant and cooperative countries have seen reductions in border encounters, regardless of deportation flights.
—Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recalcitrant
Adjective
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But in 1862, Congress declared that any slave with a rebellious master who reached federal lines would be free.—
Barbara Spindel,
The Christian Science Monitor,
12 Mar. 2025
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Mickey, tasked with keeping her rebellious sister in line, never had the opportunity to be a kid.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Another type of hyperpigmentation that kojic acid can help with is melasma—a stubborn and hard-to-treat skin condition characterized by splotchy, brown or grayish patches.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
4 Mar. 2025
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Like this Fire sign, Drizella is unapologetically stubborn and impatience, believing she is entitled to nothing but the best.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The attacks started this week after reports emerged that Assad loyalists had ambushed and killed members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – the rebel group that spearheaded the rebellion that ousted the former Syrian leader.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
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The singer and the songwriter traversed the frontlines of the urban guerrilla war that had consumed the city of Homs by that point, with one half of the city overtaken by regime soldiers and the other half controlled by rebel groups.—
Jawad Rizkallah,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Climate change will create intractable problems for some countries and open new opportunities for others, encouraging a race for territory.—
Michael Albertus,
Foreign Affairs,
4 Mar. 2025
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What’s more, Asian elephants are highly social, highly intelligent, and endangered, raising intractable ethical obstacles to experimenting on them.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
TIME,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images A defiant President Trump defended imposing new tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico – three of the United States' largest and most crucial trading partners – at a joint session of Congress Tuesday night.—
Obed Manuel,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
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Trump, in a defiant victory lap speech lasting roughly 100 minutes, credited his predecessor for high inflation and vowed to bring down the costs of everyday goods while previewing further economic pain from new tariffs.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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
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It is meant to treat only people with refractory myeloma.—
Sarah Hudgens,
Health,
23 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Even your grimy London suburb feels unsettling, but then again, it’s plagued by spooky goings-on: disappearances, violence, and wayward theories (specifically from your friend Marty) that there’s a demonic element to it all.—
Matt Gardner,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
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The handsome actor who starred as Jake Cutter in ABC’s adventure series, Tales of the Gold Monkey, and Diane Keaton’s wayward husband in the hit feature film, The First Wives Club, was perhaps best known for his role as wholesome pastor and dad Eric Camden on the WB series, 7th Heaven.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Joking was her version of uncontrollable tears, but Dr. Fenton neither laughed nor pressed to see what was behind Lilian’s inane laughter.—
Yiyun Li,
The New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2025
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Separating benefits from employee health also allows businesses to escape uncontrollable, often double-digit, group plan renewals.—
Jack Hooper,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Recalcitrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recalcitrant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
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