as in persistence
a steadfast adherence to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
without the pertinacity of the suffragists, voting rights for women would never have become a reality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pertinacity
Noun
-
However, persistence becomes problematic when PFAS leach or evaporate out of products and into the surrounding environment.—
Carrie McDonough,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026 -
The movie is more than a celebration of persistence in the face of rejection, of faith in oneself, or of the power of love.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 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
-
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
Noun
-
In the following game against Leeds United, where West Ham lost 2-1, Nuno showed stubbornness in sticking with the same personnel.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Golf is a merciless sport, requiring a goldfish’s memory and a bull’s stubbornness.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
18 May 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
-
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
Noun
-
Instead, the courts are dealing with intransigence from the city.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
-
In Kyiv, Orbán’s intransigence had scuttled various European initiatives to aid Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government in the country’s with Russia.—
Rafi Schwartz,
TheWeek,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When to See a Doctor For the vast majority of new parents, dry skin is a temporary, frustrating nuisance that resolves as your hormones stabilize and your body adjusts to its new rhythm.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
28 May 2026
-
The March train breakdown strengthened the resolve of city officials to create an alternative people-moving system as soon as possible by repurposing the tunnel, Johnston said.—
Bruce Finley,
Denver Post,
26 May 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Pertinacity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pertinacity. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
