Vocabulary in context
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Intractable
Difficult or impossible to manage, control, or deal with; resistant to guidance or treatment.
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Imagine This
The wild horse was not tractable because of its unmanageable temper.
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Sounds Like
in-TRAK-tuh-buhl
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Looks Like
In(not)tractable (not easily handled)
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Remember This
From Latin intractabilis, with in- meaning 'not' + tractabilis meaning 'able to be managed' (from tractare, 'to handle').
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Other Forms
Intractabilitynoun
Intractablyadverb
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Connect With
tractable, unmanageable, stubborn, obstinate, recalcitrant
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Note
Note that intractable describes problems, conditions, or people that resist management or solution. It is the opposite of tractable. Do not confuse with unrelated spellings; the standard opposite is tractable.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The intractable problem of climate change requires coordinated global action.
- Her intractable pain refused to respond to the usual medications.
Synonyms
unmanageableuncontrollablestubbornrefractoryrecalcitrant
Antonyms
tractablemanageablecompliant
Etymology
From Latin intractabilis 'not able to be treated or managed,' from in- 'not' + tractabilis 'able to be handled' (from tractare 'to handle').
Mnemonic
IN-TRACT-ABLE: Not able to be drawn or handled—picture a stubborn mule resisting a tractor.
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Idiosyncratic
adjectivePeculiar to an individual; distinctive or characteristic of a particular person, often in an unusual or quirky way.
Concise
adjectiveUsing as few words as possible to express an idea clearly; brief and to the point.
Capricious
adjectiveUnpredictable; given to sudden, unaccountable changes in mood or behavior.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Obstinate
adjectiveStubbornly refusing to change one’s mind or course of action; unwilling to yield to reason or persuasion.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
Adamant
adjectiveRigid in opinion or purpose; not willing to change one's mind or position.
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