obstination

stubbornness

noun ob-stee-nah-SYOHN Rare

Origin: Latin obstinatio, from obstinare (to persist)

Also means

doggedness

Usage Note

Obstination can carry both a positive nuance (admirable perseverance) and a negative one (pigheadedness), depending on context. The related adjective is obstiné ('stubborn'), and the verb is s'obstiner ('to persist, to dig one's heels in'). You might say avec obstination to mean 'doggedly.'

Examples

"Il a réussi grâce à son obstination."

Natural Translation

He succeeded thanks to his stubbornness.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

Avoir or Être? Picking the Right Past-Tense Helper

Use avoir for the passé composé unless the verb is reflexive or one of ~16 DR MRS VANDERTRAMP motion verbs, which take être and force agreement.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Tu vs Vous: When to Use Each in French

Tu vs vous in French: use tu for one friend, family, or child, and vous for strangers, elders, your boss, and any group. A clear etiquette guide.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French Noun Gender: Rules to Guess Right 80%

Guess French noun gender right 80% of the time using word endings: -age, -ment, -eau are masculine; -tion, -té, -ette are feminine. A high-yield system.

June 3, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Sorry in French: Désolé vs Pardon vs Excusez-moi

Use désolé for genuine regret, pardon to bump or squeeze past, and excusez-moi to get attention. A situation-by-situation guide to saying sorry in French.

June 4, 2026 5 min read