adjective

recalcitrant

/rɪˈkælətrənt/ · say it: rih·KAL·uh·truhnt

stubbornly resistant to authority

In Personality & Character

In more detail

1. (adjective) unwilling to obey or cooperate; refusing to accept authority or control

2. (adjective) difficult to deal with or manage

Examples

1. The recalcitrant student refused to follow the teacher's instructions.
2. The recalcitrant engine wouldn't start no matter what we tried.

How to use recalcitrant

Recalcitrant describes active resistance to authority or unwillingness to be managed, carrying a formal, somewhat disapproving tone. It implies not just passive disobedience but deliberate defiance or stubbornness. The word is more literary and formal than simple synonyms like stubborn, and often implies that the resistance is difficult to overcome.

Common phrases

recalcitrant child
recalcitrant attitude
recalcitrant behavior
recalcitrant member
remain recalcitrant

Synonyms

defiant · obstinate · uncooperative · insubordinate · stubborn

Opposites

compliant · obedient · cooperative

Word family

recalcitrance (noun) · recalcitrantly (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use recalcitrant to mean simply reluctant or hesitant, but it requires an element of resistance to control or authority rather than mere unwillingness.

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