Synonyms for pertinacious
- adjective
Most common
All synonyms
Adjective
1. Dogged
dogged, obstinate, unyielding, persistent, stubborn, tenacious, tough, constant, steady, urgent, perverse, steadfast, resolute, wayward, refractory, intractable, sullen, headstrong, persevering, unregenerate, importunate, mulish
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Holding tenaciously to an opinion or purpose.
Related words
- Word family
- pertinaciously pertinaciousness pertinacity
- Other spellings
- pertinaceous
Choose the right word
Pertinacious demand is contrasted with obstinate refusal.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- persistent Be patient and persistent. These things take time.
- dogged His dogged efforts eventually paid off.
- obstinate I've heard that Tom and Mary are quite obstinate.
- unyielding His unyielding character doesn't please me at all.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| pertinacious | steady | |
| persistent | rising | |
| dogged | rising | |
| obstinate | steady | |
| unyielding | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- tough1
- 6 letters
- steady2, urgent2, dogged1, sullen2, mulish
- 7 letters
- wayward2
- 8 letters
- constant2, stubborn2, perverse2, resolute3
- 9 letters
- steadfast2, tenacious3, obstinate3
- 10 letters
- persistent3, refractory4, unyielding3, headstrong2
- 11 letters
- intractable4, persevering4, importunate
- 12 letters
- unregenerate
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (steady2 = 2 syllables).