obstinate

CEFRB2

/ˈɒb.stɪ.nət/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Refusing to change your opinion or behavior.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Of a facial feature or expression, fixed and unmoving.

Examples

  • He became more obstinate as he grew older.

  • He was too obstinate, but on the other hand he was reliable.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
3
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Of an inanimate object, not easily subdued or removed.

  2. Stubbornly adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually with implied unreasonableness; persistent.

More examples

In context

  • You should reckon with his obstinate character.

  • an obstinate blockage in the pipe

  • 1925-29, Mahadev Desai (translator), M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Part IV, Chapter XXIX, Now it happened that Kasturbai […] had again begun getting haemorrhage, and the malady seemed to be obstinate.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The blank child refused to eat his vegetables no matter how much his parents pleaded.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

Inherited from Middle English obstinat(e) (“obstinate, stubborn”), from Latin obstinātus, perfect passive participle of obstinō (“set one's mind firmly upon, resolve”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from ob (“before”) + *stinare, from stare (“to stand”). Doublet of ostinato.