Definition

1. Noun:
   • The trait of being difficult to handle or overcome: A stubborn, unyielding, and obstinate quality in a person's character or behavior. It implies a refusal to change one's mind or course of action despite reason or persuasion.

Usage

• Mulishness is an uncountable noun used to describe a persistent, inflexible attitude. It is a formal or literary term for extreme stubbornness, often with a negative connotation, suggesting a comparison to the perceived stubborn nature of a mule.

Examples

• Noun:
  • His mulishness in the negotiations prevented any compromise from being reached.
  • She finally gave up trying to convince him, defeated by his sheer mulishness.
  • The project's failure was attributed more to the manager's mulishness than to a lack of resources.

Advanced Usage

• "to display/show/exhibit mulishness": to demonstrate stubborn behavior.
  • The child displayed remarkable mulishness about eating his vegetables.
• "sheer/pure mulishness": used to emphasize the complete and unadulterated nature of the stubbornness.
  • He refused to apologize out of pure mulishness.

Variants and Related Words

• Mulish (adj): Stubborn, obstinate.
  • He had a mulish expression on his face.
• Obstinacy (n): A close synonym for mulishness, meaning stubbornness.
• Intransigence (n): Refusal to change one's views or to agree about something.

Synonyms

• Stubbornness: The most common and direct synonym.
• Obduracy: Stubborn refusal to change one's opinion or course of action.
• Pigheadedness (informal): Foolish or irrational stubbornness.
• Inflexibility: Unwillingness to change or compromise.

Antonyms

• Flexibility: Willingness to change or compromise.
• Compliance: The action or fact of complying with a wish or command.
• Tractability: The quality of being easily managed or controlled.

Noun

1. the trait of being difficult to handle or overcome