refractory
1
8.7
- adjective
- /rɪˈfræktəri/
- Specialized
- Despite numerous attempts to change his behavior, he remained refractory and refused to comply with the rules.
Examples
-
The multifaceted nature of these situations, refractory behaviors of individuals involved, unclear criteria about animal cruelty, and privacy and personal property rights can be major obstacles to permanent solutions.
Academic text (2010) -
The teacher found it difficult to manage the refractory students who refused to follow her instructions.
-
Bruyas had his own reasons for associating with an artist of such a controversial and refractory profile.
Academic text (2004) -
You respond in nearly the same way that he did, and are nearly as refractory to the scalpel of Socratic inquiry as he was.
Blog text (18) -
Ed Ruscha's "bookworks," as Clive Phillpot termed them, are indeed wolves in sheep's clothing, complex and refractory objects that have confounded repeated attempts at categorization.
Academic text (2005) -
Her refractory attitude made it challenging for the team to work together effectively.
Synonyms
251
2.9
Not willing to change your mind even when others try to persuade you
34
4.3
Refusing to accept change or obey people in charge
16
7.5
Refusing to change your opinion or behavior even when others try to persuade you
14
4.7
Not willing to change or accept other ideas
11
8.1
Not willing to follow rules or accept control
9
5.4
Deliberately refusing to do what others want
8
9.9
Being hard to control and easily annoyed, often causing trouble
6
8.3
Not able to stay still because you feel impatient or nervous
3
8.8
A person who refuses to change their opinion or behaviour even when others try to persuade them
1
9.1
Refuses to cooperate to cause trouble
1
7.6
Likely to oppose rules or orders
1
9.9
Not obeying rules or orders from people in power
1
9.0
Often refuses to do what others ask
Refusing to change an opinion even when people give reasons
Antonyms
Compounds
- Specialized
1
8.7
A short time after a nerve or muscle sends a signal when it cannot respond to another one
- Specialized
A condition with low red blood cells that does not get better with usual treatments and needs blood transfusions
- Specialized
A small heatproof bowl made of bone ash to separate metals like gold or silver during testing
- Specialized
With an inner layer of heatproof material that protects against very high heat
How Resistant
40
4.5
251
2.9
- Specialized
1
8.7
57
5.6
21
4.5
35
5.1
112
3.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
refractory = refract + ory
Although etymologically related to notions of 'breaking' or 'resisting', the modern adjective 'stubborn, uncooperative' is not transparently derived from productive English morphemes, so learners cannot reliably infer the meaning from form alone.
Etymology
Refractory comes from Latin roots such as frangere ('to break') that developed the sense of 'resisting' or 'stubborn'. So a refractory person or attitude is someone who 'refuses' to follow rules or to be controlled.