Dictionary › R › recalcitrant

recalcitrant

4 syllables
adjectivenoun
Quick answer

As an adjective, recalcitrant means marked by a stubborn unwillingness to obey authority. As a noun, it means a person who is recalcitrant.

Meanings of recalcitrant

6 meanings

adjective

  1. Marked by a stubborn unwillingness to obey authority.

  2. Unwilling to cooperate socially.

  3. Difficult to deal with or to operate.

  4. botanyof seedpollensporesNot viable for an extended period; damaged by drying or freezing.

  5. Stubbornly resistant to authority or control

    “a fractious animal that would not submit to the harness”

    “a refractory child”

    Similar: fractious, refractory

noun

  1. A person who is recalcitrant.

Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).

Synonyms by meaning

adjective: stubbornly resistant to authority or control
fractiousrefractory

For word games

r1
e1
c3
a1
l1
c3
i1
t1
r1
a1
n1
t1
Scrabble & Words With Friends: valid word16 points before bonuses.12 letters.
Unscramble these letters

Nearby words

rebukerebusrebutrebuttalrebutterrecrecalculaterecalculationrecallrecallingrecantrecantation