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
Crystal tells a tale of guest hosting The Tonight Show for Johnny Carson and having a recalcitrant guest in Mr. Cosell, despite the fact the two were friends.
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Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024
Nanny McPhee, a strict disciplinarian, clad in black, arrives uninvited to rid the recalcitrant children of their worst habits.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 29 Nov. 2024
On the first day, the trio filmed one of the film’s iconic scenes, in which the pilot, Dr. Rumack (Mr. Nielsen), discovering that bad fish has poisoned the crew and most of the passengers, asks the recalcitrant Ted Striker (Robert Hays) for help.
—Clay Risen, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2024
To better prepare an incoming President replacing a recalcitrant one, Republicans and Democrats in Congress in 2022 passed the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act.
—Brian Bennett, TIME, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for recalcitrant 
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024
Nanny McPhee, a strict disciplinarian, clad in black, arrives uninvited to rid the recalcitrant children of their worst habits.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 29 Nov. 2024
On the first day, the trio filmed one of the film’s iconic scenes, in which the pilot, Dr. Rumack (Mr. Nielsen), discovering that bad fish has poisoned the crew and most of the passengers, asks the recalcitrant Ted Striker (Robert Hays) for help.
—Clay Risen, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2024
To better prepare an incoming President replacing a recalcitrant one, Republicans and Democrats in Congress in 2022 passed the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act.
—Brian Bennett, TIME, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recalcitrant
Adjective
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Illiberal leaders select their cabinet members in the same way that emperors used to choose the governors of rebellious provinces: What matters most is the appointee’s loyalty and capacity to resist being suborned or co-opted by others.Ivan Krastev, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
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The news is a huge deal because rebellious Prince Fiyero is the ultimate catch for the students and Galinda.Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The stubborn machine has won, and politicians are, for the most part, just fodder, which means that every politician who has to stand in front of a camera after a tragedy turns into another battle site in an endless culture war.Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2025
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Coaches will tell you of a character who could be grumpy or stubborn, but also of someone who needed faith shown in him.The Athletic UK Staff, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Our Most Popular Stories of 2024 The artifacts of ancient technologies, the allure of rebel science, and many, many ghosts.JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025
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Washington is now taking cautious steps to navigate its approach to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main rebel faction that took down the government in Damascus.Natasha Frost, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The exponential speedup offered by Willow enables these companies to tackle problems previously deemed intractable, fostering innovation and competitive advantage.Abdo Riani, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024
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Another testament to his value, perhaps, but also to a roster construction issue that has proved intractable as the season has gone along — and has intensified in recent weeks.Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Weakened, isolated but defiant: Hamas faces a crossroads with the cease-fire.Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
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But the political chaos provoked by the Dec. 3 martial law declaration is expected to continue, as Yoon and his ruling party supporters remain defiant against the insurrection charges.Se Eun Gong, NPR, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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It is meant to treat only people with refractory myeloma.Sarah Hudgens, Health, 23 Sep. 2024
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Similar to refractory bricks, firebricks can store heat or insulate, depending on what they’re made from.New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Aug. 2024
Adjective
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The wayward cats would have to be left behind. Before getting in the car, Heidi had flung open the front door, hoping the lost cats would find their way out.Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025
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Then, as Blue Origin got deeper into the countdown, a wayward boat strayed into the keep-out zone around the launch site.Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Despite a long and uncontrollable process of detaching herself from family, friends, and even her husband, she was told by doctors that everything was fine.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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The uncontrollable blaze, which continued to consume buildings, has wound up burning more than 11,000 acres between the two beach towns.Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near recalcitrant
Cite this Entry
“Recalcitrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recalcitrant. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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