tenacious

tenacious
adjective
te·;na·;cious t;-;n;-sh;s
Synonyms of tenacious
1
a
: not easily pulled apart : cohesive
a tenacious metal
b
: tending to adhere or cling especially to another substance
tenacious burs
2
a
: persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired
a tenacious advocate of civil rights
tenacious negotiators
b
: retentive
a tenacious memory
tenaciously adverb
tenaciousness noun


Did you know?
Tenacious Has Latin Roots

For the more than 400 years that tenacious has been a part of the English language, it has adhered closely to its Latin antecedent: tenax, an adjective meaning "tending to hold fast." Almost from the first, tenacious could suggest either literal adhesion or figurative stick-to-itiveness. Sandburs are tenacious, and so are athletes who don't let defeat get them down. We use tenacious of a good memory, too—one that has a better than average capacity to hold information. But you can also have too much of a good thing. The addition in Latin of the prefix per- ("thoroughly") to tenax led to the English word pertinacious, meaning "perversely persistent." You might use pertinacious for the likes of rumors and telemarketers, for example.

Synonyms
dogged
insistent
patient
persevering
persistent
pertinacious
Choose the Right Synonym for tenacious

strong, stout, sturdy, stalwart, tough, tenacious mean showing power to resist or to endure.

strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources.

strong arms
the defense has a strong case
stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way.

stout hiking boots
sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction.

a sturdy table
people of sturdy independence
stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability.

stalwart environmentalists
tough implies great firmness and resiliency.

a tough political opponent
tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together.

tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life
Examples of tenacious in a Sentence
But raw capitalism has also proved tenacious, evolving its own means of endlessly restimulating consumption …
—Nicholas Fraser, Harper's, November 2003
This "Southern Operation" would seal off China from outside help, thus underwriting victory in Japan's frustrating four-year war against Chiang Kai-shek's feckless but tenacious Chinese army.
—David M. Kennedy, Atlantic, March 1999
We have been nominally democratic for so long that we presume it is our natural condition rather than the product of persistent effort and tenacious responsibility.
—Benjamin R. Barber, Harper's, November 1993
Some people claim that by election day this year Fran;ois Mitterrand had very little power besides the power of his own tenacious, authoritative, and austere persona.
—Jane Kramer, New Yorker, 30 May 1988
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Governed by the moon, this Water sign is often admired for its innate sensitivity and intuition, but much like Elle Woods, Cancers are unstoppable and tenacious despite their soft exterior, making this an ideal costume choice.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
Matthew has always been intensely focused and tenacious in all of his endeavors – not only in his recording career, but in all of his artistic and intellectual pursuits.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
There would be no reason to suspect Courtney Williams had evolved into a stone-cold killer who will never back down from a big shot with the game in the balance, nor that Alanna Smith is a tenacious defender capable of locking down bigs who trump her in size.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2024
There are so many ways, big and small, so always persevere and stay tenacious.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024