Synonyms for tenacious
- adjective
Most common
stubborn dogged obstinate unyielding clinging puggy agglutinative stickable
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Obstinate
obstinate, unyielding, stubborn, dogged, persistent, tough, strong, adhesive, steadfast, sticky, intransigent, staunch, stanch US, cohesive, rigid, stiff, viscous, immovable, sullen, dour, stringy, unregenerate, refractory
2. Retentive
4. Opinionated
Other
clinging, coherent, ropey, agglutinative, stickable, puggy, claggy, memorious, clingsome, elephantlike, unforgetful, bull headed
Definitions
- adj. 1
Clinging to an object or surface; adhesive.
- adj. 2
Unwilling to yield or give up; dogged.
- adj. 3
Holding together; cohesive.
- adj. 4
Having a good memory; retentive.
Related words
- Word family
- tenaciously tenaciousness tenacity
Example sentences
- stubborn I'm not stubborn; i'm just always right, thats it.
- 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.
- clinging We are still clinging to the dreams of our youth.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| tenacious | steady | |
| stubborn | rising | |
| dogged | rising | |
| obstinate | steady | |
| unyielding | rising | |
| clinging | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- long1, dour2
- 5 letters
- tough1, stiff1, rigid2, slimy2, gummy2, pasty, ropey, gluey, puggy
- 6 letters
- strong1, sticky2, dogged1, sullen2, clammy2, stanch1, claggy
- 7 letters
- staunch1, viscous2, stringy2
- 8 letters
- stubborn2, coherent3, adhesive3, clinging2, cohesive3
- 9 letters
- steadfast2, immovable4, obstinate3, retentive, glutinous, stickable, memorious, clingsome
- 10 letters
- persistent3, refractory4, unyielding3
- 11 letters
- opinionated5, unforgetful
- 12 letters
- intransigent4, unregenerate, mucilaginous, recollective, elephantlike
- 13 letters
- agglutinative
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (dour2 = 2 syllables).