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
Centres come at a significant premium cost, and there’s a fair bit of regard for Hayton around the industry given his versatility, face-off winning ability, power-play utility and doggedness.
—
Harman Dayal, New York Times, 11 Feb. 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
Dissent among the Moscow elite could rise at how the Kremlin has dismissed diplomatic off-ramps in its war of choice, in favor of military doggedness and an unsustainable proxy conflict with NATO.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
Harman Dayal, New York Times, 11 Feb. 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
Dissent among the Moscow elite could rise at how the Kremlin has dismissed diplomatic off-ramps in its war of choice, in favor of military doggedness and an unsustainable proxy conflict with NATO.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doggedness
Noun
-
Amundsen’s work is in keeping with the rest of the show, which fills two halls at the liberal arts school with visual and multimedia works that probe the persistence of radioactive materials.—
Chloe Shrager,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The lessons that endure are about constraint and invention, messiness and coordination, contradiction and persistence—about intervening directly and fearlessly in material reality.—
Julian Rose,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
-
Maybe this stubbornness won’t affect anything.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The 22-year-old had been relentless in her pursuit of a goal all match against rival Canada, and her stubbornness finally paid off in the 55th minute.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
The White House does not seem to have a workaround to Putin’s obstinacy, and Rubio told Hannity that all other parties seeking to end the conflict are hopeless.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Freshman pitcher Raquel Pineda impressed in the circle, the defense produced several sparkling plays and the Mariners showed their resolve to edge Cypress 2-1 at Pacifica High.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
-
John Castle’s journey, full of one existential calamity after another, would challenge any human’s resolve.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The original footage showed something remarkable — dogs acting with coordination, loyalty, and determination that stunned viewers.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Cloverleaf is waiting for final determination from Evergy about how much power the site would be able to use, which could impact the number of jobs.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
China has gained, not suffered, from this obduracy.—
JONATHAN A. CZIN,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Nov. 2025
-
Related: ‘Neglected diseases’ are anything but neglected by the billion-plus people living with them One possible reason for this obduracy is that noma begins as a dental disease, and dental diseases have long been underappreciated global health concerns.—
John Button,
STAT,
16 Dec. 2023
Noun
-
That the campaign has become a grind, with little entertainment on offer and an intransigence in the manager’s approach, has added to the sense of angst.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Tehran matched American and Israeli rigidity with intransigence and strategic overreach of its own.—
Mehrzad Boroujerdi,
The Conversation,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Doggedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doggedness. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
