Synonyms for Obstinacy

Synonyms for "obstinacy" (281 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (57)

Noun(8 words)

stubbornness doggedness obstinance pigheadedness self-will bullheadedness conviction cussedness

adhesiveness antagonism antipathy application assiduity assiduousness averseness aversion backwardnessbad bloodbigotry bloody-mindednessbulldog tenacitybullheadedness cantankerousness challenge clashing cohesiveness collisioncombative reaction

Show 29 more words

Strong matches (84)

disagreement disinclination disobedience dispute disrelish dissension dissent dissentience distastedogged perseverancedoggedness dogmatism earnestness endurance energy engrossment enmity fanaticism fidelity firmness

Show 58 more words

Noun(6 words)

hardheadedness inflexibility insistence intransigencemore rigidmulishness

Related words (140)

orneriness orthodoxypassive resistancepatiencepatience of jobperfunctoriness permanence perseverance persistence persistency pertinaciousness pertinacity perverseness perversity pigheadedness plodding plugging potency power powerfulness

Show 106 more words

precisianism preoccupation protest purism puritanism purpose purposefulness reaction rebelliousness rebuff recalcitrance recalcitrancy recalcitration refractoriness refusal relentlessness reluctance remonstrance renitence renitency repellence repellency repugnance repulse repulsion resistance resoluteness resolution resolve resolvedness restiveness retention revolt rigidity rigidness rigor rigorousness rivalry robustness ruggedness sedulity sedulousness self-will seriousness sincerity single-mindednesssingleness of purposeslogging slowness snugness stability stalwartness stamina standstaying powersteadfastness steadinessstick-to-itivenessstickinesssticking powerstiffness stolidity stoutness strengthstrength of willstubbornness sturdiness sulk sulkiness sulks sullenness tackiness tenaciousness tenacity tightness tirelessnesstotal commitmenttoughness unbendingness uncompromisingness uncooperativeness unenthusiasm unimpressionability uninfluenceability unmovability unpersuadability unreceptiveness unrelentingness unremittingness unresponsiveness unruliness unsuggestibility unsusceptibility unswayablenessunswerving attentionunwillingness unyieldingness vigor vigorousness viscidity viscosity vitality vying wildness will withstanding

Noun(13 words)

pertinacity recalcitrancerefuse to considerresolve rigidity temerity tenacity truculence unbending vehemence wilfulness willfulness wrongheadedness

Adjective(1 words)

rigid stance

Choosing the right synonym

Closest matches in this entry: stubbornness, doggedness, obstinance, pigheadedness, self-will.
Sentence evidence is available for obstinacy, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, 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 "obstinacy".
Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "obstinacy"

Keep "obstinacy" 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 "obstinacy" 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 "obstinacy", 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 "obstinacy" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

5 relation types

More general

12 entries

attitudebehavioral patterncharacter traitdisposition firmnessfirmness of purposeintractability intractablenesspersonality traitresoluteness resolution resolve

More specific

3 entries

intransigence rigidity willfulness

Collocations

5 entries

extreme obstinacyintellectual obstinacypersonal obstinacypolitical obstinacystubborn obstinacy

Inflections

1 entries

obstinacies

Derivations

2 entries

obstinate obstinately

Sample sentences

8 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

Miss Wang has a trace of obstinacy in her, but she is still a good student.

Source: tatoeba (1565749)

It was not until worn out by the obstinacy of the anchoret that he consented to put the state and condition of his mistress to a certain trial.

Source: tatoeba (7752159)

There was a certain obstinacy in his voice.

Source: tatoeba (8838568)

No coaxing could induce them to advance, and the application of the whip only seemed to exasperate their obstinacy.

Source: tatoeba (11620123)

Showing 4 of 8 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "obstinacy"?

Closest matches include stubbornness, doggedness, obstinance, pigheadedness, self-will.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "obstinacy"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

Obstinacy