English vocabulary · C1
Obdurate
/ˈɒb.djʊ.rɪt/ · adj.
It means refusing to change your mind or feelings, no matter what anyone says or does. Completely hard and unmovable.
Watch the Obdurate lessonContinue in the learning app for video lessons and review.
Example sentences
- The obdurate leader ignored all the complaints.
- Even tears could not move his obdurate heart.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- ob — against (from Latin)
- dur — hard (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- STUBBORN — will not change mind (Common & Everyday)
- RIGID — unable to bend or change (Fixed & Inflexible)
- UNYIELDING — does not give way (Strong & Firm Under Force)
Words with the same root
dur — hard
- endure — to keep going through something hard
- durable — strong enough to last a long time
- duration — the length of time something lasts
Lesson notes
Obdurate. It means refusing to change your mind or feelings, no matter what anyone says or does. Completely hard and unmovable.
Similar words are stubborn, rigid, and unyielding. Use obdurate when a person refuses to change even after strong pressure.
The obdurate leader ignored all the complaints. Even tears could not move his obdurate heart.
From Latin. Ob- means against. Dur- means hard. Hard against everything — that is obdurate.