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
To Matthew and Rachelle, who by now had become attuned to the obdurate implacability of British authorities, the coroner’s response was maddening: this was their final opportunity to ascertain the truth.
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Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024
Regina Hall came down with pneumonia while shooting Girls Trip, the irreverent 2017 comedy from Will Packer, a savant who repeatedly has shown an obdurate Hollywood that Black movies can mint money at the box office.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Jan. 2024
By the spring of 1945, with Germany defeated, the Allies turned to an obdurate Japan.
—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
See all Example Sentences for obdurate 
Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024
Regina Hall came down with pneumonia while shooting Girls Trip, the irreverent 2017 comedy from Will Packer, a savant who repeatedly has shown an obdurate Hollywood that Black movies can mint money at the box office.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Jan. 2024
By the spring of 1945, with Germany defeated, the Allies turned to an obdurate Japan.
—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
See all Example Sentences for obdurate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obdurate
Adjective
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But on the other hand, the data so far suggests that Wolves have a ruthless finisher on their hands.Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
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The headhunter without ethics is really the ruthless Kim Hye-jin, played by Park Bo-kyung.Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
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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The community that had long been home to hundreds of entertainment industry workers was engulfed by a wildfire whipped into a merciless inferno by 80-mile an hour winds.Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 13 Jan. 2025
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Scarcity of food and clean water have become merciless tormentors, and the numbers tell a story that words cannot fully convey.Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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On the other hand, the group is adamant that its FPV drones are wholly homegrown.Paul Iddon, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
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David Poole is adamant that the sales team is always upfront about the risks as well as upsides of investing.K.J. Yossman, Variety, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In historical times such fields were called ‘stony fields’ by farmers.Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
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One is a stony oubliette with crystals growing out of the walls.Erin Alberty, Axios, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Through it all, Franklin remained steadfast with the 1-0 each week approach.Audrey Snyder, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
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As the counterfeit industry develops more sophisticated methods, the fight for authenticity must remain steadfast, driven by technology, vigilance, and a commitment to ethical production and consumption.Cassell Ferere, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near obdurate
Cite this Entry
“Obdurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obdurate. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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