Intractable

Difficult or impossible to manage, control, or deal with; resistant to guidance or treatment.

adjective

Intractable

Difficult or impossible to manage, control, or deal with; resistant to guidance or treatment.

adjective

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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.