tenacity

noun

te·​nac·​i·​ty tə-ˈna-sə-tē How to pronounce tenacity (audio)
Synonyms of tenacitynext
: the quality or state of being tenacious
Choose the Right Synonym for tenacity

courage, mettle, spirit, resolution, tenacity mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship.

courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty.

the courage to support unpopular causes

mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience.

a challenge that will test your mettle

spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened.

her spirit was unbroken by failure

resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends.

the resolution of pioneer women

tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat.

held to their beliefs with great tenacity

Examples of tenacity in a Sentence

If there is a particular tenacity in Islamist forms of terrorism today, this is a product not of Islamic scripture but of the current historical circumstance that many Muslims live in places of intense political conflict. — Max Rodenbeck, New York Book Review, 30 Nov. 2006
… everything about a person, even the most blameless of facts, can have the sticky tenacity of a secret. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2002
A tribute to tenacity, the free ascent of Trango Tower was the fulfillment of a cowboy climber's dream. — Todd Skinner, National Geographic, April 1996
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But while Summit is Evolving with a capital E, his tenacity remains unaltered. — Katie Bain, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2025 My mother, Teji, inherited this tenacity and took it to new heights. — Sweta Kaushal, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025 Noted for his tenacity and cunning, Khamenei is also a man of conviction, and his hatred for the United States is deeply felt. — Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 The odds also were against her, but O’Connor showcased her tenacity Saturday, attacking aggressively and coming through with a desire and a resilience to change her fortunes. — Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tenacity

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tenacite, borrowed from Middle French tenacité, borrowed from Latin tenācitāt-, tenācitās, from tenāc-, tenāx "holding fast, tenacious" + -itāt- -itās -ity

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tenacity was in the 15th century

Rhymes for tenacity

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Cite this Entry

“Tenacity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenacity. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

tenacity

noun
te·​nac·​i·​ty tə-ˈnas-ət-ē How to pronounce tenacity (audio)
: the quality or state of being tenacious
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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