1. (a.) Obstinate in disobedience; stubborn; unmanageable; as, a refractory child; a refractory beast\.

2. (a.) Resisting ordinary treatment; difficult of fusion, reduction, or the like; -- said especially of metals and the like, which do not readily yield to heat, or to the hammer; as, a refractory ore.

3. (n.) A refractory person.

4. (n.) Refractoriness.

5. (n.) (Pottery) A piece of ware covered with a vaporable flux and placed in a kiln, to communicate a glaze to the other articles.

adversary adversative adverse alien antagonistic anti antipathetic antithetic at odds averse beyond control breachy bullheaded china clashing clay competitive complaining con conflicting contradictory contrary contumacious counter cross cursory defiant deviant differing disaccordant disagreeing disinclined disobedient disputatious disputing dissentient dissenting dissident enamel enemy forced fractious headstrong hostile impatient of control incorrigible indisposed indocile indomitable inimical insuppressible intractable involuntary irrepressible mulish mutinous negative nonconformable nonconforming noncooperative nonobservant objecting obstinate obstreperous obstructive on the barricades opponent opposed opposing opposite oppositional oppositive oppugnant ornery out of hand overthwart perfunctory perverse porcelain proof against protesting rebellious recalcitrant recusant reluctant renitent repellent repugnant resistant resisting resistive restive retardant retardative rival self-willed shrewish stiff-necked stubborn sulky sullen unadaptable unadjustable unbiddable uncompliant unconforming unconsenting uncontrollable uncooperative unfavorable unfriendly ungovernable unmalleable unmanageable unmoldable unpropitious unruly unsubmissive unwilling unyielding up in arms wild withstanding