Word: obdurate (adjective)

Associations

"Obdurate" means stubborn or refusing to change your opinion or feelings, even when you should. It often describes someone who is very firm and unyielding in their decisions or attitudes.

• He was obdurate in refusing to admit his mistake. (He stubbornly did not want to say he was wrong.)
• The company remained obdurate despite protests from customers. (The company did not change its decision no matter what.)
• She was obdurate about not helping with the project. (She was firm and would not agree to help.)

A well-known synonym is "stubborn." The difference: "obdurate" often sounds more formal or strong, sometimes with a negative feeling that the person is unkind or unreasonable. "Stubborn" is more common and can be neutral or negative.

Substitution

Other words you can use instead of "obdurate" include:

• stubborn (common, everyday word)
• unyielding (more formal, emphasizes not giving up)
• inflexible (focuses on not changing)
• adamant (strongly firm in opinion) Each word changes the tone a bit. For example, "adamant" can sound more positive, like being confident, while "obdurate" often sounds more negative.

Deconstruction

The word "obdurate" comes from Latin:

• "ob-" means "against"
• "durare" means "to harden" or "to last" So "obdurate" literally means "hardened against" something, like feelings or opinions. This shows why it means being stubborn or refusing to change.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you or someone else was obdurate? What happened?
• How do you feel about people who are obdurate? Is it always bad, or can it be good sometimes?
• How would you explain the difference between being obdurate and being open-minded? When is it important to be one or the other?