# stubbornly

/ˈstəbɝnɫi/ (US) · /stˈʌbənli/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stubbornly
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

to do something in a way that shows you will not change your mind or give up, even when people tell you to stop.

For teachers: 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.

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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.