# refractory

/ɹəˈfɹæktɝi/ (US) · /ɹɪfɹˈæktəɹˌi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/refractory
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. stubborn or unruly

adjective · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

difficult to control and unwilling to obey rules.

For teachers: stubbornly resistant to authority or control; difficult to manage or discipline.

- The refractory child refused to sit down even after the teacher asked him three times.
- The committee struggled to reach a consensus due to a few refractory members who blocked every proposal on principle.

Usage: Usually describes people or their behaviour in formal writing.

### 2. resistant to medical treatment

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describing a disease or medical condition that does not get better with normal treatment.

For teachers: resistant to treatment or stimulus; failing to respond adequately to therapeutic intervention.

- The patient was diagnosed with a refractory form of the disease that did not respond to antibiotics.
- Clinical trials are currently focusing on patients with refractory leukemia who have exhausted all standard chemotherapy options.

Usage: Commonly used in clinical reports to describe chronic or stubborn conditions.

### 3. heat-resistant

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

able to stay strong and not melt even at very high temperatures.

For teachers: capable of enduring high temperatures without fusing or decomposing.

- The spacecraft was protected by a refractory shield that could survive the heat of re-entry.
- Refractory metals like tungsten are essential for components that must operate in the extreme heat of jet engines.

### 4. heat-resistant material

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a material, like a special brick, that can survive very high heat without melting.

For teachers: a substance, such as a ceramic or brick, that is resistant to high temperatures and used to line furnaces.

- The workers replaced the old refractories inside the glass-making furnace.
- The efficiency of the blast furnace depends largely on the quality of the refractory used to line its interior walls.

## Examples

- The doctor tried a new medicine for the refractory condition.
- After several rounds of standard chemotherapy, the patient was diagnosed with a refractory form of the disease that required a more aggressive approach.
- The study focused on refractory cases where conventional antibiotics failed to clear the infection, suggesting that the bacteria had developed a unique resistance mechanism not seen in other strains.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.