1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
the obdurate refusal of the crotchety old man to let the neighborhood kids retrieve their stray ball from his backyard
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
an obdurate farmer who could never be convinced to try a different method of fertilization
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of obdurate
By the spring of 1945, with Germany defeated, the Allies turned to an obdurate Japan.
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Peter Englund, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023
The camera often pans to the obdurate face of an office clock, showing time frozen but also inexorably passing—the burning fuse of Chow and Su’s relationship.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2023
On Tuesday, Torres signed a pledge with a powerful association of some three-hundred eighty thousand military veterans who are notorious for their obdurate conservatism and belligerence.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2023
This is a line of chatter that was heavily promoted by the late private equity billionaire Peter G. Peterson, one of the most obdurate enemies of Social Security.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for obdurate 
Peter Englund, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023
The camera often pans to the obdurate face of an office clock, showing time frozen but also inexorably passing—the burning fuse of Chow and Su’s relationship.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2023
On Tuesday, Torres signed a pledge with a powerful association of some three-hundred eighty thousand military veterans who are notorious for their obdurate conservatism and belligerence.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2023
This is a line of chatter that was heavily promoted by the late private equity billionaire Peter G. Peterson, one of the most obdurate enemies of Social Security.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for obdurate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obdurate
Adjective
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Peyser covered the high-profile trial for the Post as a columnist, spending every day in court in order to produce a series of ruthless front-page takes about the Stewart scandal.David Mack, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
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The standoff between Blanche’s impractical aestheticism and Stanley’s ruthless pragmatism is the heart of this quintessentially American drama.Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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McCaffrey hadn’t played since the Super Bowl in Las Vegas while battling a stubborn case of Achilles tendinitis.Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
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Find it on Amazon A Dark Spot Remover That’s Full of Nourishing Ingredients Don’t let stubborn dark spots ruin your confidence—invest in this dark spot remover.Mia Meltzer, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Their idea involved merciless kills, a chainsaw, a group of youths and a homicidal family with a craving for human flesh; all set against the backdrop of a sunny, countryside day giving way to a nightmarish evening.Sydney Bishop, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
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For most of them, the rigors of fighting on the eastern front only increased the value of fighting a merciless war—Hitler's war.Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Courtney is adamant that their mom (Vernee Watson) needs cataract surgery, but as the more successful sister, Gaby’s words carry more weight.Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
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Paul Heyman, one of the key figures in The Bloodline saga, has been adamant that WWE remains in the early stages of a storyline that started way back in 2020.Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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These vines, rooted deep in the stony soil, embody the character of the land and its native flora.John Mariani, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
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Some trails that probe this stony playground are Granite Gardens, Constellation, Centennial and Watson Lake Loop.Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 26 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Still, the coach had remained steadfast in his support of Moss in spite of those mistakes.Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
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Lo knows to play a long game, and plans to remain steadfast while waiting for the turmoil to subside.Zinnia Lee, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near obdurate
Cite this Entry
“Obdurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obdurate. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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