Despite overwhelming evidence of his guilt, the defendant remained ______, refusing to acknowledge the charges or express any remorse for his actions.
Correct: A
Obdurate means stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action; it describes a hardened, unyielding resistance to pressure or reason. The defendant's refusal to acknowledge guilt or show remorse despite evidence perfectly exemplifies obdurate. Pusillanimous means cowardly and timid, irascible means easily irritated or angered, and insouciant means casually unconcerned — none of these capture the stubborn, unyielding resistance described.