doggedness

noun

Definition of doggednessnext
as in persistence
a steadfast adherence to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion being an effective detective requires doggedness as well as cleverness

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of doggedness The Afghan Taliban and the Iraqi insurgency beat the United States through roadside bombs and sheer doggedness. — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 July 2026 Her doggedness, maybe her righteousness too, a fierce myopic focus and will, and a crazy confidence that in the end, both have nothing to lose. — Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 15 June 2026 By prioritizing skill and doggedness and overlooking height at the draft and on the free-agent and trade markets, the Hurricanes were able to consistently mine value in assembling a championship team. — Thomas Drance, New York Times, 15 June 2026 Corey Perry, winger, A- Joel Armia, forward, B Perry has delivered the doggedness the Kings came to expect from him as a longtime rival, along with his best per-game scoring rate since 2018. — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026 Netflix's latest crime drama is resonant and relentless, offering audiences a sweaty, anxious look at doggedness and sacrifice in the face of a cruel, indifferent economy. — Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doggedness
  1. persistence
  2. persistency
  3. stubbornness
  4. obstinacy
  5. obduracy
  6. determination
  7. intransigence
  8. resolve
Noun
  • Bringing domain controllers online before validating their integrity can restore the attacker’s persistence along with them.
    — Robert Bobel, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • An attacker gains initial access, establishes persistence, escalates privileges, moves laterally and eventually achieves an objective such as data theft or disruption.
    — Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of persistence
Noun
  • The Home Service Insurance segment experienced a decline in premiums, attributed to strategic actions to improve sales quality and persistency, as well as economic pressures such as inflation.
    — Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The tannins are well structured yet soft and the wine has great persistency in the finish.
    — Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 2 May 2023
Definition of persistency
Noun
  • The film’s cast is mostly made up of tribal non-actors, but Anghlong Konyak is its captivating center, as a man whose stubbornness against change sits alongside a lingering grief over his fading way of life.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Perhaps the stubbornness on both sides is why this rivalry thrives despite its nonconference status.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of stubbornness
Noun
  • Starmer’s realism—or obstinacy, depending on your point of view—had seen off an immediate challenge.
    — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
  • The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2026
Definition of obstinacy
Noun
  • Perhaps the greatest testament to Morocco’s obduracy came late in normal time, when Rodri — a central midfielder being deployed as a central defender — strode forward and shot, more in hope than in expectation, from 35 yards.
    — Rory Smith, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2022
  • But a year later, more than two dozen of them remain stuck in Afghanistan, stalled by bureaucratic wrangling, the vagaries of international diplomacy and the obduracy of the Taliban government.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022
Definition of obduracy
Noun
  • Amelia Maldonado, a county land-use spokesperson, said in an email that while county staffers provide recommendations, the Planning Commission has the authority to reach its own determination.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Peete’s story should teach us that defensive action and determination can go a long way.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of determination
Noun
  • The fact that so many diplomats before him have struggled is a testament not to the intransigence of international problems but to the mediocrity of his predecessors.
    — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Fatigue with the stagnation inherent in contemporary democratic institutions is among the key factors that make the promise to break through intransigence by autocratic leaders attractive to a plurality of voters.
    — Wendell Wallach, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026
Definition of intransigence
Noun
  • They were published in a series of articles by German magazine Der Spiegel in November 2018, that gave insight into the City chairman's resolve for a legal battle.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Chicago has already reduced homicide and overdose rates; the same resolve can now target heart health.
    — Garth Walker, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of resolve

Browse Nearby Words

doggedly
doggedness
doggies
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doggedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doggedness. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of adventitious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All