tenacious
adjective
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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
Example Sentences
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 François Mitterrand had very little power besides the power of his own tenacious, authoritative, and austere persona. Jane Kramer, New Yorker, 30 May 1988 The company has a tenacious hold on the market. a tenacious trainer, she adheres to her grueling swimming schedule no matter what See More Cincinnati Enquirer, The Enquirer, 26 Aug. 2022 When driving the two models back to back, the Performante's steering felt crisper and more accurate, and reactions are indeed keener and more tenacious. Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 19 Aug. 2022 Still, the idea that people had been created in a single moment of miraculous divine intervention proved tenacious. James Carroll, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2022 Both Balash and Davis mentioned West’s tenacious effort to keep the game in reach. Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Aug. 2022 Still, perhaps Miyake’s greatest contribution was the tenacious wearability of his clothes—indeed, the wearability of his ideas. Rachel Tashjian, Harper's BAZAAR, 9 Aug. 2022 This gripping series about Navarro College's cheer program in Corsicana, Texas follows the story of tenacious athletes defending a winning legacy. Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 30 July 2022 Yet they are locked in such a tenacious battle for market share that growth trumps all other considerations. Jem Aswad, Variety, 28 July 2022 The maize-and-blue exterior of the car represents the university and, while small, Aevum is the team's smartest and most tenacious car yet, the news release said. Layla Mcmurtrie, Detroit Free Press, 22 July 2022 See More Word History
Latin tenāc-, tenāx "holding fast, clinging, persistent" (from tenēre "to hold, occupy, possess" + -āc-, deverbal suffix denoting habitual or successful performance) + -ious — more at tenant entry 1, audacious
1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
tenacious
adjective
Medical Definition
tenacious
adjective
Journal of the American Medical Associationtenacious
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- persistent
- stubborn
- resolute
- steadfast
- insistent
- determined
- dogged
- relentless
- persevering
- pertinacious
- dedicated
- loyal
- adamant
- patient
- staunch
- steady
- true
- constant
- willful
- unyielding
- obstinate
- headstrong
- implacable
- obdurate
- positive
- hardened
- faithful
- hardheaded
- unwavering
- indomitable
- resistant
- pigheaded
- bullheaded
- single-minded
- firm
- hard
- opinionated
- good
- devoted
- mulish
- unfaltering
- indurate
- certain
- peevish
- intent
- unhesitating
- sure
- unflinching
- assured
- resolved
- wayward
- unconquerable
- unrelenting
- unbending
- perverse
- wrongheaded
- inflexible
- wilful
- hell-bent
- stiff-necked
- unregenerate
- self-willed
- stern
- stanch
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- yielding
- irresolute
- hesitant
- surrendering
- faltering
- treacherous
- perfidious
- fickle
- quitting
- traitorous
- disloyal
- faithless
- inconstant
- false
- wavering
- vacillating
- hesitating
Synonyms & Similar Words
- sticky
- adhesive
- adherent
- clingy
- glutinous
- gummy
- gluey
- viscous
- tacky
- gelatinous
- gooey
- viscid
- syrupy
- ropey
- ropy
- tarry
- pitchy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nonadhesive
- nonviscous
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of tenacious are stalwart, stout, strong, sturdy, and tough. While all these words mean "showing power to resist or to endure," tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together.
The words stalwart and tenacious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability.
While in some cases nearly identical to tenacious, stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way.
In some situations, the words strong and tenacious are roughly equivalent. However, strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources.
The meanings of sturdy and tenacious largely overlap; however, sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction.
Although the words tough and tenacious have much in common, tough implies great firmness and resiliency.