adj · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈɒb.stɪ.nət/
UK:/ˈɒb.stɪ.nɪt/
US:äb'stənət
US:/ˈɑb.stə.nət/
US:/ˈɑb.stə.nɪt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AA1 B S T AH0 N AH0 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Stubbornly adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually with implied unreasonableness; persistent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Of an inanimate object, not easily subdued or removed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
an obstinate blockage in the pipe
1925-29, Mahadev Desai (translator), M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Part IV, Chapter XXIX, Now it happened that Kasturbai [...] had again begun getting haemorrhage, and the malady seemed to be obstinate.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Of a facial feature or expression, fixed and unmoving.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective
Meaning 4
tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: stubborn, unregenerate
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective satellite
Meaning 5
resistant to guidance or discipline
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Mary Mary quite contrary
an obstinate child with a violent temper
a perverse mood
wayward behavior
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: contrary, perverse, wayward
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: cussed, obdurate, unrepentant
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
persist stubbornly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he obstinates himself against all rational arguments
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: persevere, persist, hang in, hang on, hold on
History
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English obstinat(e) (“obstinate, stubborn”), from Latin obstinātus, perfect passive participle of obstinō (“set one's mind firmly upon, resolve”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from ob (“before”) + *stinare, from stare (“to stand”). Doublet of ostinato.
Across languages
Translations
123 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Amharic:
ግትር
(gətr)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Arabic:
مُتَعَنِّت
(mutaʕannit)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Arabic:
عَنِيد
(ʕanīd)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Asturian:
neciu
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Azerbaijani:
inadkar
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Azerbaijani:
inad
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Belarusian:
упа́рты
(upárty)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Breton:
pennek
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Bulgarian:
упори́т
(uporít)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Bulgarian:
твърдогла́в
(tvǎrdogláv)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Catalan:
obstinat
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Catalan:
opiniós
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Chinese Mandarin:
頑固 /顽固
(wángù)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Crimean Tatar:
eriş
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Crimean Tatar:
ilez
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Czech:
tvrdohlavý
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Danish:
obstinat
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Danish:
hårdnakket
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Dutch:
obstinaat
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Dutch:
koppig
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Dutch:
hardnekkig
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Esperanto:
obstina
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Finnish:
jääräpäinen
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Finnish:
jästipäinen
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
French:
obstiné
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Galician:
obstinado
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Galician:
teimudo
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
German:
hartnäckig
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
German:
starrköpfig
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
German:
stur
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Ancient Greek:
αὐθάδης
(authádēs)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Hebrew:
עַקְשָׁן
(akshán)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Hindi:
ज़िद्दी
(ziddī)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Hindi:
हठी
(haṭhī)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Hindi:
अक्खड़
(akkhaṛ)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Hungarian:
csökönyös
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Hungarian:
konok
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Hungarian:
makacs
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Hungarian:
önfejű
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Hungarian:
hajthatatlan
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Irish:
cruamhuineálach
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Irish:
ceanntréan
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Irish:
dáigh
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Irish:
stuacach
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Italian:
ostinato
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Italian:
pertinace
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Japanese:
頑固な
(ganko na)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Kazakh:
бірбеткей
(bırbetkei)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Korean:
완고하다
(wan'gohada)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Latin:
pervicāx
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Latin:
obnixus
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Latin:
obstinātus
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Macedonian:
тврдоглав
(tvrdoglav)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Macedonian:
своеглав
(svoeglav)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Macedonian:
упорен
(uporen)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Macedonian:
инаетлив
(inaetliv)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Māori:
whakatuturi
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Māori:
whātuturi
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Māori:
makiki
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Māori:
whakatōkeke
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Māori:
pake
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Māori:
mōtohe
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Māori:
kōioio
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Māori:
hōkeke
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Māori:
whakatohe
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Māori:
houkeke
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Norman:
entrîn
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Norwegian Bokmål:
hardnakket
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Norwegian Bokmål:
sta
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Norwegian Bokmål:
obsternasig
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Old English:
ānwille
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Old English:
stearcmōd
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Old English:
stīþmōd
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Persian:
یکدنده
(yek-dande)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Persian:
سرسخت
(sar-saxt)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Persian:
لجوج
(lajuj)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Polish:
uparty
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Polish:
zawzięty
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Portuguese:
obstinado
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Portuguese:
persistente
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Portuguese:
pertinaz
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Romanian:
obstinat
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Romanian:
încăpățânat
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Romanian:
îndărătnic
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Russian:
упря́мый
(uprjámyj)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Russian:
упёртый
(upjórtyj)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Russian:
твердоло́бый
(tverdolóbyj)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Russian:
стропти́вый
(stroptívyj)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Scottish Gaelic:
rag-mhuinealach
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Scottish Gaelic:
rag
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Serbo-Croatian:
тврдо̀глав
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Serbo-Croatian:
у̏по̄ран
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Serbo-Croatian:
tvrdòglav
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Serbo-Croatian:
ȕpōran
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Slovak:
tvrdohlavý
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Slovene:
trdovraten
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Slovene:
trmast
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Spanish:
obstinado
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Spanish:
obcecado
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Spanish:
porfiado
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Swedish:
obstinat
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Swedish:
envis
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Tajik:
саркаш
(sarkaš)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Telugu:
మొండి
(moṇḍi)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Turkish:
inatçı
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Turkish:
muannit
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Ottoman Turkish:
صارپ
(sarp)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Ukrainian:
упе́ртий
(upértyj)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Ukrainian:
впе́ртий
(vpértyj)
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Uzbek:
oʻjar
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Uzbek:
qaysar
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Uzbek:
sarkash
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Vietnamese:
bướng bỉnh
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Vietnamese:
cứng đầu
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Welsh:
ystyfnig
— adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course, usually unreasonably
Bulgarian:
упори́т
(uporít)
— (of inanimate things) not easily subdued or removed
Finnish:
sitkeä
— (of inanimate things) not easily subdued or removed
German:
widerspenstig
— (of inanimate things) not easily subdued or removed
German:
widerborstig
— (of inanimate things) not easily subdued or removed
German:
hartnäckig
— (of inanimate things) not easily subdued or removed
Hungarian:
makacs
— (of inanimate things) not easily subdued or removed
Polish:
uporczywy
— (of inanimate things) not easily subdued or removed
Romanian:
persistent
— (of inanimate things) not easily subdued or removed
