What does "refractory" mean?
A material or piece of material, such as a brick, that has a very high melting point.
Refractory
adj, noun
adj, noun ·4 syllables ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A material or piece of material, such as a brick, that has a very high melting point.
- Grammar: refractory is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: stubborn, adobe, adversary, adversative.
- Useful contrasts: controllable, obedient, compliant.
- Usage evidence: Tom bought a refractory telescope.
How to use "refractory"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "refractory" 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 "refractory" 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 "refractory" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "refractory" 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 "refractory" 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 "stubborn" 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.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "refractory", 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 material or piece of material, such as a brick, that has a very high melting point.
- 2 lining consisting of material with a high melting point; used to line the inside walls of a furnace wordnet
- 3 A plant or factory that produces such material.
Adjective
- 1 Obstinate and unruly; strongly opposed to something.
"[…] in most instances attempts to coerce the refractory and disobedient have been the signals of bloody wars, […]"
- 2 Not affected by great heat.
"Pure lime is extremely refractory, but readily fusible if any silex is brought in contact with it; […]"
- 3 Resistant to treatment; not responding adequately to therapy.
"Many of the vague and refractory cases of neck and shoulder pain and of migraine may be due to cervical disc disease."
- 4 Incapable of registering a reaction or stimulus.
"The production of a generator potential leaves a refractory state in the receptor membrane […]"
Adjective
- 1 stubbornly resistant to authority or control wordnet
- 2 temporarily unresponsive or not fully responsive to a process or stimulus wordnet
- 3 not responding to treatment wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"Tom bought a refractory telescope."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "refractory"?
Common synonyms include: stubborn, adobe, adversary, adversative, adverse, alien.
How do you use "refractory" in a sentence?
Tom bought a refractory telescope.
Etymology
From Latin refractārius (“obstinate”), from refractus, past participle of refringere (“to break up”). Originally refractary, refractarie, but reanalysed after other adjectives in -ory.