noun
obstinacy
AHB-stih-nuh-see/ˈɑːbstɪnəsi/
Stubborn refusal to change an opinion or behavior.
The man's obstinacy drives him into flooded ground despite his companion's warning.
Etymology
Obstinatia names stubbornness, expressed in early English obstinacy as “hardness of heart” or inflexibility of purpose. The modern sense retains this picture of a will that will not bend.
In context
All the obstinacy of her nature--she classed it herself as firmness--rose in revolt.
More examples
- Out of sheer obstinacy, he refuses to ask for directions.
- The negotiations stalled because of both sides' obstinacy.
- What she calls determination, her coworkers see as obstinacy.
Forms
obstinate adjective — Stubbornly unwilling to change opinions or behavior.
obstinately adverb — In a stubbornly unyielding manner.
Similar words
- stubbornness
- A more everyday term for refusing to give way.
- intransigence
- Emphasizes refusal to compromise, especially in disputes or negotiations.