recalcitrant
4 antonyms and opposites of recalcitrant, grouped by meaning.
Adjective — Stubbornly refusing to obey authority, follow rules or cooperate, even under pressure.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adjective
Stubbornly refusing to obey authority, follow rules or cooperate, even under pressure.
“A handful of recalcitrant members refused to sign the agreement.”
Opposites
2. adjective
Of a thing or material: resistant to being handled, treated or worked with.
“The recalcitrant lock finally gave way to a squirt of oil.”
Antonyms
How to use recalcitrant
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Formal; common in journalism, law and management writing.
Etymology
From Latin recalcitrare 'to kick back', from re- 'back' and calx, calcis 'heel' — originally used of mules kicking out against the rider.
Full origin of recalcitrant →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between recalcitrant and stubborn?
Stubborn describes anyone who will not change their mind about anything. Recalcitrant specifically involves resisting authority, instruction or control, so it needs someone or something to be defying. A recalcitrant employee defies management; a stubborn one may simply prefer their own way.
What is the difference between recalcitrant and reluctant?
Reluctant means unwilling but usually still doing the thing. Recalcitrant means actively refusing and resisting. A reluctant witness testifies badly; a recalcitrant witness does not testify at all.
How do you pronounce recalcitrant?
ri-KAL-si-truhnt, with the stress on the second syllable. The c in the middle is a hard k sound.