obdurate
/ˈɒb.djʊ.rət/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Refusing to change your mind or feelings, even when others try to persuade you. It often suggests stubbornness in a strong, formal way.
- She remained obdurate during the long negotiation.
- His obdurate refusal surprised everyone.
- The manager was obdurate about the deadline.
Adinary Nuance
Obdurate is stronger and more formal than stubborn. It often suggests a person will not soften, even when the situation clearly calls for it. Compared with firm, it sounds less neutral and more negative. Compared with determined, it focuses more on unwillingness to change than on purpose.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- cứng đầu
- Spanish
- obstinado
- Chinese
- 顽固的
- Japanese
- 頑固な
- Korean
- 완고한
Etymology
Obdurate comes from Latin obduratus, meaning "made hard." It entered English in the late Middle Ages through French and kept a formal tone.
Common phrases
obdurate refusalobdurate silenceobdurate oppositionobdurate insistence
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is obdurate formal or informal?
- It is formal and more common in writing than in speech.
- What is the difference between obdurate and stubborn?
- Obdurate is more formal and stronger. Stubborn is more everyday and less severe.
- Can I use obdurate for things, not people?
- Yes. You can describe a refusal, silence, or attitude as obdurate.
- Is obdurate a common IELTS word?
- It is useful for formal writing, but it is not a very common everyday word.