Recalcitrant

Pronunciation: /rɪˈkælsɪtrənt/

adjective

Difficulty: Advanced

Definition of Recalcitrant

Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline; stubbornly resistant.

Origin of Recalcitrant

Language of origin: Latin

Root word: recalcitrare

Original meaning: to kick back

From Latin "recalcitrare" meaning "to kick back," from "re-" (back) + "calcitrare" (to kick)

How to Remember Recalcitrant

Think "re-CALF-citrant" — like a stubborn calf that kicks back and refuses to move forward.

Synonyms for Recalcitrant

  • defiant
  • uncooperative
  • obstinate
  • rebellious
  • intractable
  • refractory

Antonyms of Recalcitrant

Recalcitrant in a Sentence

  1. The recalcitrant student refused to follow classroom rules despite repeated warnings.
  2. Union negotiations stalled because of the recalcitrant stance of management.
  3. The recalcitrant horse bucked every rider who tried to mount it.

Usage Notes

Can describe people, animals, or even abstract things (e.g., a recalcitrant problem). Emphasizes active resistance, not just passive stubbornness.

Why Recalcitrant Matters for GRE & SAT

High-frequency GRE word. Often appears in Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence. Paired with intractable, refractory. Contrasts with tractable, amenable, compliant.

Word Family

recalcitrance (noun)
the quality of being recalcitrant
recalcitrantly (adverb)
in a recalcitrant manner
  • obstreperous
  • radical — Relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something
  • ramification — a consequence or resulting action of a previous event
  • rampant — unrestrained or unchecked, usually in a negative manner

More Vocabulary Words Starting with R

  • radical — Relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something
  • radical — far-reaching; major
  • radical — far-reaching; major
  • radical — Relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something
  • ramification — a consequence or resulting action of a previous event
  • ramification — A consequence of an action or event, especially a complex one
  • ramification — a consequence or resulting action of a previous event
  • rampant — unrestrained or unchecked, usually in a negative manner
  • rampant — Spreading unchecked; flourishing in an unwelcome way
  • rampant — unrestrained or unchecked, usually in a negative manner