tenacious

adjective

te·na·cious tə-ˈnā-shəs

Synonyms of tenacious next

: not easily pulled apart : cohesive

a tenacious metal

: tending to adhere or cling especially to another substance

tenacious burs

: persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired

a tenacious advocate of civil rights

tenacious negotiators

: 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.

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

Example Sentences

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 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

Recent Examples on the Web The tenacious resistance among many Democratic politicians to publicly challenge the court’s misdeeds stands as a spectacular act of self-abnegation. —

Simon Lazarus, The New Republic, 21 Apr. 2023 These tenacious women have their hands full contending with scant resources, bands of predatory men and ultimately, the capricious and insatiable demon unleashed across the prairie. —

Erik Gleibermann, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2023 Tenacity has allowed the Kings to neutralize the Oilers’ advantages in scoring depth, size, and raw skill, and being tenacious in a puck battle deep in the offensive zone enabled them to score the first goal for the first time in the series. —

Helene Elliott, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2023 Koen potted an empty-netter with 22.5 seconds to play and assisted on Cusack’s goal, winning the puck in the corner with a tenacious forecheck and finding the freshman alone in the slot. —

Cam Kerry, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Mar. 2023 And, speaking of achieving tenacious goals, the powerhouse credits the support system that she's built over the years for encouraging her to keep going. —

Samantha Olson, Seventeen, 7 Mar. 2023 The Rams managed to tie the game three separate times in the final two minutes, but Smith’s shot with 10 seconds left allowed Pleasant Grove’s tenacious defense to force a desperate last-second shot. —

Evan Dudley, al, 13 Feb. 2023 Crowl, limited to five points and five field-goal attempts by Northwestern's tenacious double-teams, contributed 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists against Penn State. —

Jeff Potrykus, Journal Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2023 The successful ones dream big, are laser-focused and tenacious, work long hours doggedly, and see opportunities in obstacles to surmount. —

Roomy Khan, Forbes, 6 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tenacious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of tenacious was in 1607

See more words from the same year