Idiom for being stubborn about an opinion

Question

Is there an idiom for the action when someone holds tightly onto his opinion? Like you keep to try convincing that person again and again but he keeps that opinion?

"Pig-headed" is probably the most common term. – Hot Licks Jan 28 '15 at 13:55 — Hot Licks, Jan 28 '15 at 13:55
"Bull-headed" is, I think, slightly less derogatory. – Wayfaring Stranger Jan 28 '15 at 14:34 — Wayfaring Stranger, Jan 28 '15 at 14:34
"Stiff-necked" is an idiom that might fit the bill. – fbrereto Jan 28 '15 at 16:52 — fbrereto, Jan 28 '15 at 16:52

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 28 '15 at 10:26

"He/she dug his heels in"

is often used to convey a specific act of stubbornness or defiance.

Or, if it is specific to the fact the person seems unwilling to hear what you are saying:

"I tried to explain to them, but they are just tone deaf to my ideas"

(they are not really deaf; it is just a metaphorical way of saying that they refuse to listen).

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 28 '15 at 09:27

6

Stubborn as a mule and obstinate as a mule may convey the idea:

Cliché very stubborn. (*Also: as ~.) I tried to convince Jake to go to the doctor, but he's as stubborn as a mule. For four years, Henry pestered his parents to let him learn the trumpet. They tried to talk him into some other, quieter instrument, but he was stubborn as a mule, and now he has a trumpet.

answered Jan 28 '15 at 09:27

Thanks, but it's not about the person who is stubborn, rather on the action of stubbornness – Mansuro Jan 28 '15 at 09:37
You mean sort of 'to refuse to listen'? – Jan 28 '15 at 09:39
Yes something like that – Mansuro Jan 28 '15 at 09:40
Wouldn't be stubborn or obstinate describe 'the action'? – Jan 28 '15 at 09:42
No, stubborn describes the person itself, what I'm asking about is something that describe the act of stubborness – Mansuro Jan 28 '15 at 09:43

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 28 '15 at 13:34

3

The phrase whim of iron has been used to describe a stubbornness that lacks a reasonable basis.

It i attributed to Oliver Herford (December 3, 1863 – July 5, 1935), an American humorous poet and illustrator. Wikiquote

answered Jan 28 '15 at 13:34

bib

72,782

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 28 '15 at 16:13

3

A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest was introduced by singer/songwriter Paul Simon in 1969 in the song titled The Boxer. This phrase or some variation might meet your need.

answered Jan 28 '15 at 16:13

Canis Lupus

22,017

score 2 · Answer 5 · edited Apr 27 '22 at 10:24

2

Would the word be: intransigency. As defined by MW:

characterized by refusal to compromise or to abandon an often extreme position or attitude : UNCOMPROMISING

See also Thesaurus.com.

edited Apr 27 '22 at 10:24

Laurel

66,382

answered Jan 28 '15 at 12:18

sojourner

3,533

score 2 · Answer 6 · edited Apr 27 '22 at 10:18

2

"Stuck in his ways" is what I often use to describe someone inflexible and kind of adamant.

edited Apr 27 '22 at 10:18

Laurel

66,382

answered Jan 28 '15 at 18:32

amphibient

2,890

score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Jan 28 '15 at 10:13

1

Not sure if 'dogmatic' would suit your purpose. As a metaphor, people also use 'cockroaches' to ideas that would never go away and keep coming back.

answered Jan 28 '15 at 10:13

Raghuraman R

762

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 28 '15 at 22:56

1

For this concept, hard-headed is useful and fairly self-explanatory.

answered Jan 28 '15 at 22:56

L0j1k

590

Misti · Answer 9 · 2015-01-28T15:47:58.750

The Middle English version of stubborn carried the sense of “untamable, implacable,” and there’s still a hint of that in how it is used today.

Few suggestions: Unbend (verb) means 'to change from a bent position, to straighten', and also 'to relax from stress or severity'. By contrast, the adj. unbending normally means 'unyielding, inflexible;

Unbending- obstinate and stupid. (MW)
Inflexible- in the sense of not making concessions. (MW)

score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Jan 29 '15 at 03:37

0

I suggest you use "headstrong" or "strong willed." Ideally, you want to refrain from the use of cliches or out of date metaphors. Also its not necessary to use "intransigency" when a common phrase is available.

answered Jan 29 '15 at 03:37

Donna Wright

1

score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Jan 29 '15 at 12:01

I would go for closed-minded (or close-minded)

close-minded (comparative more close-minded, superlative most close-minded) unreceptive to new ideas or information; not open to any agreement.

If someone will not change their mind, no matter what, then you can call them closed-minded.

score 0 · Answer 12 · edited Apr 27 '22 at 10:21

0

You can also use resistant or resistance depending on how you mean stubborn.

Lexico defines resistant:

Offering resistance to something or someone.

‘some of the old Churches are resistant to change’

edited Apr 27 '22 at 10:21

Laurel

66,382

answered Mar 04 '20 at 05:35

Martina E Herrick

1

Idiom for being stubborn about an opinion

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