intractable

adjective

in·​trac·​ta·​ble (ˌ)in-ˈtrak-tə-bəl How to pronounce intractable (audio)
1
: not easily governed, managed, or directed
intractable problems
2
: not easily relieved or cured
intractable pain
3
: not easily manipulated or shaped
intractable metal
intractability noun
intractably adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for intractable

unruly, ungovernable, intractable, refractory, recalcitrant, willful, headstrong mean not submissive to government or control.

unruly implies lack of discipline or incapacity for discipline and often connotes waywardness or turbulence of behavior.

unruly children

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

intractable suggests stubborn resistance to guidance or control.

intractable opponents of the hazardous-waste dump

refractory stresses resistance to attempts to manage or to mold.

special schools for refractory children

recalcitrant suggests determined resistance to or defiance of authority.

acts of sabotage by a recalcitrant populace

willful implies an obstinate determination to have one's own way.

a willful disregard for the rights of others

headstrong suggests self-will impatient of restraint, advice, or suggestion.

a headstrong young cavalry officer

Examples of intractable in a Sentence

Contrary to the idea of black holes sucking everything, even light, into inconceivable nothingness, Hawking proposed that there was one thing that could escape a black hole's intractable grip: thermal radiation … Bruno Maddox, Discover, September 2006
Sepsis, which is what happens to the body when an infection goes bad, is one of mankind's oldest and most intractable foes. Leon Jaroff, Time, 24 July 2000
But now anesthesiologists have begun turning to an herb to help treat a deadly and often intractable lung condition that affects hundreds of thousands of people a year. Eric Nagourney, New York Times, 26 Oct. 1999
a patient experiencing intractable pain an intractable child who deliberately does the opposite of whatever he is told
Recent Examples on the Web While some political theorists blame alarmist and misleading rhetoric for this dilemma, others opine that the ultimate culprit that threatens American democracy is the electorate’s seemingly intractable polarization. Blake D. Morant, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 Advertisement Though the experts commended the report for attempting to grapple holistically with an intractable issue, some thought its focus on government subsidies failed to account for the primary cause of homelessness: an inadequate supply of affordable housing in the marketplace. Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024 Federici’s most radical insistence may also be her most obvious: that no quantity of broken glass ceilings will resolve this intractable riddle. Hazlitt, 4 Sep. 2024 The move, unleashed for maximum impact on that anniversary, came in response to an intractable crisis at the Polish border with Belarus, which Europe says is fueled by Russia. Rob Picheta, CNN, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for intractable 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intractable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin intractābilis, from in- in- entry 1 + tractābilis "manageable, tractable"

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of intractable was in 1531

Dictionary Entries Near intractable

Cite this Entry

“Intractable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intractable. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

intractable

adjective
in·​trac·​ta·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈtrak-tə-bəl How to pronounce intractable (audio)
1
: not easily managed or controlled
an intractable child
2
: not easily relieved or cured
intractable pain
intractability noun
intractably adverb

Medical Definition

intractable

adjective
in·​trac·​ta·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈtrak-tə-bəl How to pronounce intractable (audio)
1
: not easily managed or controlled (as by antibiotics or psychotherapy)
an intractable child
activity against many intractable Proteus and Pseudomonas species of bacteriaAnnual Report Pfizer
2
: not easily relieved or cured
intractable pain
intractable bleeding in duodenal ulcerThe Journal of the American Medical Association
intractability noun
plural intractabilities

More from Merriam-Webster on intractable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!