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Obstinate Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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obstinate

ob-sti-nate

🇺🇸 /ˈɑbstənət/ · 🇬🇧 /ˈɒbstɪnˌeɪt/

Definitions

Context #1 | Adjective

behavior

Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.

Synonyms

inflexible, stubborn, unyielding.

Examples of usage

  • He was obstinate and refused to listen to anyone else's advice.
  • Despite the evidence presented to him, he remained obstinate in his belief.
Context #2 | Adjective

problem

Difficult to deal with, control, or overcome.

Synonyms

persistent, resistant, stubborn.

Examples of usage

  • The obstinate stain on the carpet wouldn't come out no matter what they tried.
  • The obstinate software bug took hours to fix.

Translations

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Quick facts about “obstinate”

Obstinate is a 3-syllable adjective (ob-sti-nate). It is pronounced /ˈɑbstənət/ in American English and /ˈɒbstɪnˌeɪt/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 2 meanings, 6 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #12,117 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'obstinate'

The word 'obstinate' originated from the Latin word 'obstinatus', which means 'resolved, determined'. It entered the English language in the late 14th century. Over time, its meaning evolved to refer to someone who is stubbornly adhering to their opinions or actions. The concept of obstinacy has been a subject of study in psychology and philosophy, exploring the dynamics of stubborn behavior and resistance to change.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #12,117, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.