Stubborn and obstinate imply resistance to advice, objection, pleading, or force. Both words are frequently found paired with refusal and resistance (obstinate resistance to change), and stubborn people can be as frustratingly unyielding as obstinate people. At the same time, the word stubborn might convey admirable qualities such as perseverance and determination, whereas obstinate can carry more negative connotations of a harmful rigidity, arrogance, or perversity. The obstinate are more likely to dig in their heels on the wrong side of an issue (obstinate refusal to admit his error). Typical adverbs used to characterize obstinate include incorrigibly and arrogantly.

A resident is someone who lives in a specified place (a resident of Oklahoma, an apartment that accommodates three residents). Outside of legal and other official contexts, denizen is a strong synonym for resident (a denizen of Jersey City), but its range of reference stretches to non-human inhabitants (denizens of the deep, a denizen of planet Zork) and places that are not ordinarily considered residences (internet denizens, a denizen of the underworld (mythical or criminal)). Another definition of denizen is a person who regularly frequents or hangs out at a place (denizens of the local bar), and it’s not always clear, in phrases like “denizen of the lunatic fringe,” which of these definitions is intended. The common thread is that denizens either live or are very much at home in these “places.”

Scold and upbraid both refer to criticizing or reprimanding someone for something they’ve done that you disapprove of. Scold is the more everyday word, in terms of both frequency of use and the typical use cases: Children are scolded by parents and teachers. A grumpy shopper might scold a cashier for giving him the wrong change. Scolding is done in anger or irritation, but it’s not severe and can be done teasingly or good-naturedly. Upbraid is a more formal word and is used for a more severe telling off, appropriate for a more serious offense. It’s often modified by adverbs like sternly and indignantly. It also is more likely to be public and directed toward a group than scold, as with letters to the editor upbraiding city officials. However, being upbraided by one’s own conscience is not uncommon.