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
Bismarck had a reputation as a wily man who could potentially bring the recalcitrant Lower House to heel.
—
Christine Adams / Made By History, TIME, 13 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Christine Adams / Made By History, TIME, 13 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for recalcitrant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recalcitrant
Adjective
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Aquarius: Justin Suarez Socially conscious and true fashionista, Justin’s creativity and free spirit very much align with Aquarius’ rebellious nature and sparkling individuality.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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It’s been 150 years since the Impressionists shocked Paris with their rebellious Société Anonyme show.—
Nazanin Lankarani,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Ocasio-Cortez might have a good shot at cracking that stubborn nut.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Lamar Johnson’s Henry Burrell was a collaborator on the run from a rebel group different from The Fireflies in Kansas City, where the QZ and all FEDRA presence had been dissolved.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
11 Apr. 2025
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The mutually beneficial alliance between Tehran and Damascus ended abruptly in December, after an anti-Assad coalition led by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) carried out a lightning march on Damascus, taking the capital without meeting serious resistance.—
Dana Stroul,
Foreign Affairs,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Adjective
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After a wayward drive, Morikawa had to punch out from the pine straw.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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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
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By systematically reviewing and understanding the distinction between controllable and uncontrollable factors, informed decisions that align with financial goals can be made, setting the stage for the future.—
Ira Walker,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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Some means to understand things that are uncontrollable.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Recalcitrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recalcitrant. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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