ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›R›refractory
ISEE/SSAThard
refractory
stubbornly resistant to control, authority, or treatment
Synonyms
- obstinate
- recalcitrant
- unmanageable
Antonyms
- obedient
- compliant
- tractable
refractory in a sentence
The refractory stallion resisted every effort to guide it into the stable.
The teacher sought new methods for reaching a refractory student who defied every instruction.
Where it comes from
From Latin refractarius, meaning 'stubborn or resistant.'
Memory hook
REFRACTORY sounds like 'refuse the factory rules': stubbornly resisting control.
Read it in context
- When the Curve Breaks Science
- The Reform Standoff History
- The Bellwether Revision Social Science
Practice refractory in the app