What does "recalcitrant" mean?
A person who is recalcitrant.
Recalcitrant
/ɹɪˈkæl.sɪ.tɹənt/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person who is recalcitrant.
- Grammar: recalcitrant is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: adamant, adversary, adversative, adverse.
- Useful contrasts: amenable, compliant, cooperative.
- Usage evidence: Dominion recriminations against the recalcitrant treaty population did not end with the Battleford executions in the fall of 1885.
How to use "recalcitrant"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "recalcitrant" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "recalcitrant" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "recalcitrant" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "recalcitrant" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "recalcitrant" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adamant" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "recalcitrant", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person who is recalcitrant.
Adjective
- 1 Marked by a stubborn unwillingness to obey authority.
"His nimble fancy was recalcitrant to mental discipline."
- 2 Unwilling to cooperate socially.
- 3 Difficult to deal with or to operate.
"The more labile organic constituents of complex dissolved and particulate organic matter are commonly hydrolyzed and metabolized more rapidly than more recalcitrant organic compounds that are less accessible enzymatically."
- 4 Not viable for an extended period; damaged by drying or freezing.
Adjective
- 1 marked by stubborn resistance to authority wordnet
- 2 stubbornly resistant to authority or control wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"Dominion recriminations against the recalcitrant treaty population did not end with the Battleford executions in the fall of 1885."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "recalcitrant"?
Common synonyms include: adamant, adversary, adversative, adverse, alien, antagonistic.
How do you use "recalcitrant" in a sentence?
Dominion recriminations against the recalcitrant treaty population did not end with the Battleford executions in the fall of 1885.
How do you pronounce "recalcitrant"?
Pronounced /ɹɪˈkæl.sɪ.tɹənt/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French récalcitrant, from Latin recalcitrāns, recalcitrantis, present participle of recalcitrō, recalcitrāre (“be disobedient, kick back [as a horse]”), from calx (“heel”), 1820s.