dogged

adjective

dog·​ged ˈdȯ-gəd How to pronounce dogged (audio)
: marked by stubborn determination
a dogged competitor
dogged devotion
doggedly adverb
doggedness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for dogged

obstinate, dogged, stubborn, pertinacious, mulish mean fixed and unyielding in course or purpose.

obstinate implies usually an unreasonable persistence.

an obstinate proponent of conspiracy theories

dogged suggests an admirable often tenacious and unwavering persistence.

pursued the story with dogged perseverance

stubborn implies sturdiness in resisting change which may or may not be admirable.

a person too stubborn to admit error

pertinacious suggests an annoying or irksome persistence.

a pertinacious salesclerk refusing to take no for an answer

mulish implies a thoroughly unreasonable obstinacy.

a mulish determination to have his own way

Examples of dogged in a Sentence

Her dogged efforts eventually paid off. a dogged pursuit of power
Recent Examples on the Web As the dogged Aloysius, Amy Ryan is a commanding presence in her steadfast pursuit of the truth. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024 But now, after two years of dogged work by his sister Sarah Dusseault and a team of mental health advocates, Maurer’s has taken the best possible turn. Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 While his subject matter tended to be different, less political, than that of Bruce, Lewis shared a similar dogged commitment and unruly spontaneity. Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Did Katie Porter, a dogged opponent of taking corporate political money, actually take such funds? Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 15 Feb. 2024 In a new statement, a spokesperson for the British organization said: Today’s decision marks the culmination of nearly four years of dogged perseverance. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 23 Feb. 2024 The key asset of Russia’s forces now is persistence - dogged and callous. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 19 Feb. 2024 It was found only after a dogged shipwreck hunter kept up the painstaking hunt. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2024 Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, the other Indian American 2024 candidate − and a dogged opponent of Haley's − dropped out after Iowa. USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dogged.' 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

see dog entry 1

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dogged was in 1700

Dictionary Entries Near dogged

Cite this Entry

“Dogged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dogged. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dogged

adjective
dog·​ged ˈdȯ-gəd How to pronounce dogged (audio)
: stubbornly determined : tenacious
in dogged pursuit of power
doggedly adverb
doggedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dogged

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