| Recusant 1. (a.) Obstinate in refusal; specifically, in English history, refusing to acknowledge the supremacy of the king in the church, or to conform to the established rites of the church; as, a recusant lord. 2. (n.) One who is obstinate in refusal; one standing out stubbornly against general practice or opinion. 3. (n.) A person who refuses to acknowledge the supremacy of the king in matters of religion; as, a Roman Catholic recusant, who acknowledges the supremacy of the pope. 4. (n.) One who refuses communion with the Church of England; a nonconformist. Thesaurus Entries alienated, antiestablishment, at odds with, at variance with, breakaway, contrary, counter-culture, deviant, differing, disagreeing, disobedient, dissentient, dissenting, dissident, froward, in opposition, indisciplined, lawless, naughty, nonconformable, nonconforming, nonobservant, obstinate, opposing, recalcitrant, refractory, sectarian, sectary, self-willed, transgressive, unadaptable, unadjustable, uncompliant, uncomplying, unconforming, underground, undisciplined, unduteous, undutiful, unsubmissive, violative, wayward, willful |