Recalcitrant
adjective /rɪˈkælsɪtrənt/ — Obstinately uncooperative with authority or discipline.
Definition
Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline — refusing to yield even under pressure.
Beyond the definition
Recalcitrant captures the active quality of resistance. The recalcitrant person isn't just passive in their refusal — they push back, they resist, they insist on their own way against external pressure. It can be a flaw or a virtue, depending on what's being resisted.
Origin & history
From Latin recalcitrare (to kick back), from re- (back) + calcitrare (to kick) + calx (heel). Literally: to kick back with the heel. The image is of a stubborn horse refusing to be ridden.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The recalcitrant employee refused every request for mediation.
The recalcitrant student turned out to be the most intellectually alive in the room.
Even recalcitrant systems eventually respond to consistent, patient pressure.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Recalcitrant” when the meaning fits your context: Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline — refusing to yield even under pressure.
Synonyms
uncooperative, defiant, obstinate, refractory, intractable
Antonyms
cooperative, compliant, amenable, willing, tractable
Related words
- obdurate
- contumacious
- refractory
- intractable
Recalcitrant vs obstinate
Obstinate is passive stubbornness — simply not moving, not yielding. Recalcitrant is more active: it implies pushing back, resisting authority or discipline with an energy that goes beyond passivity. The recalcitrant person doesn't just refuse — they resist. The word's Latin root (kicking back with the heel, like a horse) captures this: recalcitrance has a combative quality that obstinacy lacks. Recalcitrant is the more defiant word.
Questions about this word
What does "Recalcitrant" mean?
Recalcitrant is adjective meaning: Obstinately uncooperative with authority or discipline.. Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline — refusing to yield even under pressure.
Where does the word "Recalcitrant" come from?
From Latin recalcitrare (to kick back), from re- (back) + calcitrare (to kick) + calx (heel). Literally: to kick back with the heel. The image is of a stubborn horse refusing to be ridden.