recalcitrance

Recalcitrance is the habit or characteristic of being very stubborn and difficult. Your dog’s recalcitrance might mean you always end up picking him up and carrying him home when he refuses to keep walking.

If lawmakers refuse to vote quickly on the President’s bill, she might accuse them of recalcitrance. And, if soccer players stubbornly ignore their coach’s advice and argue constantly with the referee, they’ll also be accused of recalcitrance. If you tend toward recalcitrance, you’re recalcitrant, from the French récalcitrant, which literally means “kicking back.”