Obstinate: meaning and SAT practice

Obstinate (adjective) means: Stubbornly refusing to change opinion or course.

Obstinate in a sentence

The obstinate child refused to eat vegetables.

Similar: stubborn, headstrong, inflexible, unyielding, determined. Opposite: flexible, compliant, yielding.

SAT-style practice: what does “obstinate” most nearly mean?

The obstinate child refused to eat vegetables.

As used in the sentence, “obstinate” most nearly means

  1. stubborn
  2. ordinary
  3. indirect
  4. sparkling
Show the answer

Answer: A. “obstinate” means: Stubbornly refusing to change opinion or course. “stubborn” is the closest match in this sentence. The other choices are real SAT-level words, but none of them carries that meaning here.

On the digital SAT this is the “Words in Context” skill, about 7 of the 54 Reading and Writing questions. The test asks what a word means as used in the passage, so a word’s most common meaning is not always the answer. More of these, with full explanations, are on SAT Words in Context practice questions.

  • implacable: Unable to be calmed down or made less angry and determined.
  • incorrigible: Someone who cannot be corrected or reformed despite efforts.
  • intractable: Difficult to manage, control, or solve despite efforts.
  • intransigent: Unwilling to compromise or change one's position on something.
  • obdurate: Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action.
  • recalcitrant: Stubbornly refusing to obey or comply with rules.

← obfuscate · All 701 SAT words · opaque →

Want to know which SAT skills you are actually missing? Take the free diagnostic. No account needed to start.