contumacious
adjective
con·tu·ma·cious ˌkän-tü-ˈmā-shəs 
-tyü-ˈmā-,
-chə-ˈmā-
: stubbornly disobedient : rebellious
She was warned that her contumacious conduct would not be tolerated.
contumaciously adverb
Did you know?
Legal contexts are one area where you might encounter this fancy word for "rebellious" or "insubordinate" - and the link between contumacious and the law goes back to Latin. The Latin adjective contumax means "rebellious," or, in specific cases, "showing contempt of court." Contumacious is related to contumely, meaning "harsh language or treatment arising from haughtiness and contempt." Both contumacious and contumely are thought to ultimately come from the Latin verb tumēre, meaning "to swell" or "to be proud."
Synonyms
- balky
- contrary
- defiant
- disobedient
- froward
- incompliant
- insubordinate
- intractable
- obstreperous
- rebel
- rebellious
- recalcitrant
- recusant
- refractory
- restive
- ungovernable
- unruly
- untoward
- wayward
- willful
- wilful
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
the judge threatened to charge the contumacious witness with contempt of court
Word History
Etymology
see contumacy
First Known Use
1583, in the meaning defined above
contumacious
adjective
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control the judge threatened to charge the contumacious witness with contempt of court Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- rebellious
- rebel
- defiant
- willful
- stubborn
- disobedient
- insubordinate
- obstreperous
- recalcitrant
- mischievous
- contrary
- unruly
- recusant
- wayward
- intractable
- wilful
- dogged
- naughty
- refractory
- ungovernable
- restive
- rigid
- adamant
- froward
- balky
- obstinate
- dissident
- incompliant
- untoward
- rude
- obdurate
- pertinacious
- uncooperative
- insurgent
- mutinous
- uncontrollable
- mulish
- wild
- implacable
- pigheaded
- peevish
- resistant
- negativistic
- headstrong
- opinionated
- noncooperative
- unbending
- uncompromising
- bad
- impudent
- insolent
- monkeying
- unyielding
- unrelenting
- disorderly
- unmanageable
- inflexible
- discourteous
- adamantine
- undisciplined
- immovable
- self-willed
- misbehaving
- hardheaded
- ungracious
- disrespectful
- wrongheaded
- ornery
- nonconformist
- unmannerly
- uncivil
- fractious
- perverse
- inconsiderate
- errant
- uncouth
- impertinent
- impolite
- ill-natured
- ill-mannered
- ill-bred
- monkeyish
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- obedient
- amiable
- docile
- submissive
- acquiescent
- deferential
- tractable
- cooperative
- agreeable
- conformable
- amenable
- compliant
- obliging
- biddable
- behaved
- disciplined
- courteous
- obsequious
- polite
- ruly
- respectful
- servile
- yielding
- slavish
- subservient
- decorous
- orderly
- well-bred
- mannerly
- proper
- controllable
- kowtowing
- governable
- trainable
- manageable