English edit

Etymology edit

From French intransigeance, noun form of intransigeant, borrowed from Spanish intransigente at the end of the nineteenth century. Morphologically, from in- + transiger + -ant, literally "uncompromising".

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ɪnˈtɹæn.sɪ.d͡ʒəns/
  • (file)

Noun edit

intransigence (countable and uncountable, plural intransigences)

  1. Unwillingness to change one's views or to agree.
    The intransigence of both sides frustrated the negotiators.
    • 1981 January 16, Jimmy Carter, State of the Union Address[1]:
      Meanwhile, we have encouraged and supported efforts to reach a political settlement in Afghanistan which would lead to a withdrawal of Soviet forces from that country and meet the interests of all concerned. It is Soviet intransigence that has kept those efforts from bearing fruit.
    • 2013 August 14, Simon Jenkins, “Gibraltar and the Falklands deny the logic of history”, in The Guardian[2]:
      The curse has been Spanish ineptitude feeding Gibraltarian intransigence. Border hold-ups are counterproductive to winning hearts and minds, as were blundering Argentinian landings on the outer Falklands.
    • 2022 November 7, “The Guardian view on Rishi Sunak’s Cop27 trip: placing the planet on a road to hell”, in The Guardian[3]:
      Rishi Sunak is not interested in the climate emergency – and everyone knows it. Forced to make a flying visit to Cop27, Mr Sunak’s intransigence made him an outcast at the UN summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
    • 2022 December 14, Mel Holley, “Network News: Strikes go on as RMT rejects RDG's "detrimental" offer”, in RAIL, number 972, page 8:
      "We feel that we've been compelled to take this action due to the intransigence of the Government," said RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch.

Related terms edit

Translations edit

Anagrams edit