obdurate
Definitions
Stubbornly refusing to change one's mind or course of action
顽固的，执拗的
Hardened against feeling; unmoved by pity
铁石心肠的，冷酷无情的
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedob- (against / all the way) + dur (to harden) + -ate (adj.) = hardened all the way through, hardened against everything. It takes the physical idea of hardness and applies it to a person's will or heart: an obdurate person has set like concrete, unmoved by any argument or plea.
Root dur still carries 9 more wordsWhy It Means This
Obdurate is the most vivid member of the dur family because you can literally feel the metaphor: a heart or will turned to stone. The ob- intensifies it — not just hard, but hardened against you, set against giving in. It's a strong, formal word; calling someone obdurate is harsher than calling them 'stubborn.'
Example Sentences
- 1.
The committee remained obdurate despite our pleas.
- 2.
He was obdurate in his refusal to apologize.
- 3.
Her obdurate silence made negotiation impossible.
Synonym Comparison
- obdurate — formal, strong: hardened and unmovable, often morally
- stubborn — everyday, neutral-to-negative: won't change one's mind
- obstinate — like stubborn but more clearly negative and willful
- inflexible — won't bend on rules or methods, less about emotion
- adamant — firmly insistent on a position, but not necessarily cold-hearted