Word
stubbornly
Phoneticsstub·born·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈstəbɝnɫi/
UK/stˈʌbənli/
Definition
adv. to do something in a way that shows you will not change your mind or give up, even when people tell you to stop.
adv. to persist in an opinion or course of action despite opposition or evidence to the contrary. Often used to describe a person's refusal to yield to pressure or a system's resistance to change.
Examples
“He stubbornly refused to admit he was wrong.”
“The old computer stubbornly refused to boot up, even after the technician replaced the hard drive.”
“The negotiator stubbornly held to her initial demands, refusing to compromise on the core issues that had caused the conflict to escalate over the previous month.”
Examples
simple
“He stubbornly refused to admit he was wrong.”
contextual
“The old computer stubbornly refused to boot up, even after the technician replaced the hard drive.”
complex
“The negotiator stubbornly held to her initial demands, refusing to compromise on the core issues that had caused the conflict to escalate over the previous month.”
Real-World Examples
“But south of Greenland, part of the North Atlantic has stubbornly refused to follow the global pattern.” “I knew I wanted to tell part of that story in this book, about how musicals stubbornly hold onto us and cheekily keep us coming back to them again and again.” Etymology
From stubborn + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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