Obdurate describes someone who is very hard to persuademake someone agree to do or believe something or soften, especially when they keep refusing to change their mind or feel sympathy. It can also suggest a stubborn refusal to repentfeel sorry for a wrong action and want to improve or admit wrongdoingbad or illegal behavior; something morally wrong.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈɑbdjʊrət/
Easy pronunciation: OB-dyuh-ruht (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable: OB.
This pronunciation matches the adjective meaning stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Obdurate Meaning
refusing to change, admit fault, or do the right thing
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
Example: Despite many warnings, he remained obdurate and refused to apologize.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- unrepentant — Fits the sense of refusing to admit wrongdoing or feel remorse.
- obstinate — Works when the emphasis is on stubborn refusal, though it is broader than obdurate.
- cussed — Can fit stubborn, contrary behavior, but it is more informal and less exact.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Obdurate
Meaning 2
not moved by pity, kindness, or emotion
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: showing unfeeling resistance to tender feelings
Example: The child's misery would move even the most obdurate heart.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- stony — A strong match for emotionally cold or unmoved.
- flinty — Works well for hard, unemotional resistance.
- flint — A figurative use meaning hard and unfeeling, though less common as a direct synonym.
- granitic — Suggests hardness and emotional rigidity, but is literary and less common.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Obdurate Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- unrepentant
- obstinate
- cussed
showing unfeeling resistance to tender feelings
- stony
- flinty
- flint
- granitic
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using obdurate for simple everyday stubbornness in neutral situations, where words like stubborn are more natural.
- Mixing up obdurate with emotionally cold meanings only; it can mean both stubbornly resistant and hard-hearted, depending on context.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does obdurate mean?
Obdurate means very stubborn or resistant, especially in a way that shows no sympathy, no softening, or no willingness to change.
Is obdurate a positive word?
No. It is usually negative, since it describes stubborn refusal or cold resistance to feeling or reason.
What is a simple synonym for obdurate?
A simple synonym is stubborn, though it is not as exact in every sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.