Synonyms & related words for recalcitrant

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of recalcitrant — including fractious, renitent, refractory, obstinate, obstreperous, indocile. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to recalcitrant

Explore words related to recalcitrant — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include recalcitrantly, recalcitrancy, recalcitrance, farouche, untractable, intransigent, mulish, obdurate. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for recalcitrant

Common synonyms for recalcitrant include fractious, renitent, refractory, obstinate, obstreperous, indocile, stubborn, defiant — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does recalcitrant come from?

The word recalcitrant breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root calc-, from Latin calx (“heel”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.