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mulishness

mulishness

9.0
A stubborn, often unreasonable refusal to change your mind
  • noun
  • /ˈmjuːlɪʃnəs/
translation icon : terquedad
  • The child's mulishness during the discussion frustrated the teacher, who wanted to engage him in the lesson.

Examples

  • Despite everyone's advice, her mulishness led her to pursue a path that was ultimately unwise.

  • His persistent mulishness made it difficult for the team to reach a consensus on the project.

  • But even I, in my mulishness, even I have brushed up against that thing, you know, at times.

  • "Folks like Dorothy Day led the way in this 'collective mulishness' wherein the average Joe and Jane refused to turn their backs on their neighbors—even when they felt their own survival was at stake."

    Blog text (23)

Synonyms

stubbornness
vsmulishness
21 3.6

Refusing to change your mind or actions even when there are good reasons

is similar but focuses on being unreasonably difficult to manage
obstinacy
vsmulishness
3 7.6

Refusing to change your mind or actions even when others ask you to

is like that but highlights unreasonable and unmanageable conduct
stiffness
vsmulishness
1 5.3

A strict way of acting or thinking that does not change

is similar but points more to unreasonable refusal than mere strictness
obstinance
vsmulishness
1 7.9

Being stubborn and refusing to change your mind

is similar but stresses being especially unreasonable and hard to handle
unreasonableness
vsmulishness
1 6.0

An action or decision that is unfair and does not make sense

is a refusal to change that especially seems irrational or hard to manage
orneriness
vsmulishness
  • Informal
1 9.9

Being easily annoyed, stubborn, and hard to get along with

is about firm refusal and unreasonableness rather than general irritability
obdurateness
vsmulishness
9.8

The quality of being stubborn and not caring about others

is close but centers on stubborn refusal that also feels unreasonable
unyieldingness
vsmulishness
8.1

A refusal to change an opinion or action despite pressure

is related but adds an element of being unreasonably difficult to manage

Antonyms

171 5.0

Obeying rules or orders from people in charge

153 3.6

Ability to change plans or actions easily to fit new situations

How Stubborn

intransigence
10 8.7
pigheadedness
  • Informal
1 7.9
mulishness
9.0
obstinacy
3 7.6
stubbornness
21 3.6

Surface Forms

mulishness singular
mulishnesses plural

Morphology

mulishness = mulish (semi-transparent) = mule + ish + ness

The suffix '-ness' is a standard formation to denote a state or quality, derived from the adjective 'mulish'.

Etymology

The word mulishness comes from mule, the animal famous for refusing to move, plus the endings -ish and -ness that make it a noun. So, mulishness means the quality of being 'stubborn' or refusing to change, like a mule.