I tried everything I could think of to convince them to stop ruining their life, but they remained obdurate to the very end.
Source: tatoeba (10640383)
Obdurate
/ˈɒbdʒʊɹɪt/
Synonyms for "obdurate" (181 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (37)
Adjective(1 words)
adamantasleepbenumbedbonybrassybrazencallouscallousedcase hardenedcase-hardenedcementcementalcoldcold bloodedcold of heartcoldbloodedcoldheartedconcreteconsciencelesscorneous
Show 10 more words
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (54)
Adjective(9 words)
Related words (90)
lapideouslithoidlithoidallost to shamemarblemarblelikemulishmuscle boundmuscle-boundnarrownumbnumbedobstinateobtuseopinionatedorthodoxosseouspersistentperversepositive
Show 61 more words
procrusteanpuristpuristicpuritanpuritanicpuritanicalrelentlessresistantresistiverigidrigoristrigoristicrigorousrockboundrocklikerockysearedsevereshamelesssingle mindedsolidsteadfaststeellikesteelysternstiffstiff-neckedstonelikestonystonyheartedstraightlacedstraitlacedstubborntenaciousthick skinnedthick wittedthick-skinnedthick-wittedtoughunabjectunbendingunblushinguncompassionateuncompliantuncompromisinguncontriteunemotionalunfeelingunfeltunmeltedunmercifulunnaturalunperceptiveunrelentingunrepentantunrepentingunresponsiveunsoftenedunsympatheticuntouchedunyielding
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: obstinate, abandoned, adamant, asleep, become obstinate.
- Sentence evidence is available for obdurate, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "obdurate".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "obdurate"
Keep "obdurate" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "obdurate" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "obdurate", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "obdurate" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
7 entriesattitude modificationcharacteristicemotional hardeningmental state changemoral traitpersonality traitstate change
More specific
10 entriescallousnessdoggedhardheartednessheart hardeninginhumanityintransigentmind hardeningobdurate heartobdurate minduncompromising
Collocations
8 entriesobdurate attitudeobdurate heartobdurate mindobdurate oppositionobdurate personalityobdurate refusalobdurate silenceobdurate stance
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
3 entriessimilar
4 entriesSample sentences
12 total sentences available.
They called her obdurate, and indeed she was the most stubborn member of the opposition.
Source: tatoeba (10957309)
The researchers named the prehistoric animal Obdurodon, Greek for “lasting (obdurate) tooth,” because its teeth are unlike today’s platypus species.
Source: tatoeba (11244184)
[…] sometimes the very custom of evil making the heart obdurate against whatsoever instructions to the contrary […]
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "obdurate"?
Closest matches include obstinate, abandoned, adamant, asleep, become obstinate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "obdurate"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.