tenacious
Americanadjective
-
holding fast; characterized by keeping a firm hold (often followed byof ).
a tenacious grip on my arm; tenacious of old habits.
-
highly retentive.
a tenacious memory.
-
persistent, stubborn, or obstinate.
- Synonyms:
- obstinate, persistent, pertinacious, dogged
-
adhesive or sticky; viscous or glutinous.
- Synonyms:
- clingy
-
holding together; cohesive; not easily pulled asunder; tough.
adjective
-
holding or grasping firmly; forceful
a tenacious grip
-
retentive
a tenacious memory
-
stubborn or persistent
a tenacious character
-
holding together firmly; tough or cohesive
tenacious cement
-
tending to stick or adhere
tenacious mud
Other Word Forms
- overtenacious adjective
- overtenaciousness noun
- tenaciously adverb
- tenaciousness noun
- untenacious adjective
- untenaciousness noun
Etymology
Origin of tenacious
First recorded in 1600–10; tenaci(ty) + -ous
Explanation
Use tenacious to mean "not easily letting go or giving up," like a clingy child who has a tenacious grip on his mother's hand. A strong grip or an unyielding advocate might both be described as tenacious, a word whose synonyms include resolute, firm, and persistent. The word comes from the Latin root tenax, which means "holding fast." The basketball commentator Marv Albert, impressed by a defender's skill, once uttered the sound bite, "That's some tenacious D!" ("D" is short for "defense.") The musicians Jack Black and Kyle Gass borrowed the phrase for the name of their comedy-rock band, Tenacious D.
Vocabulary lists containing tenacious
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
OJ scored 19 and EJ added 17 as the Dolphins used tenacious defense, a three-point barrage and a relentless transition attack to overwhelm Cleveland, 75-56, at L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2026
Reportedly on the verge of signing Bournemouth's Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo, Guardiola could do with reinforcements in attack after his team were frustrated by Sunderland's tenacious performance.
From Barron's • Jan. 1, 2026
“Katie’s a very tenacious, self-assured individual,” recalled Jordan Ball, who was a senator for the opposition party.
From Slate • Dec. 18, 2025
“People in Middleton had seen the Hall fall into disrepair for over 30 years,” said DePree, who has impeccable blond highlights and a tenacious streak.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025
Luna didn’t have very many memories that were as tenacious as this one—her memory, typically, was a slippery thing, and difficult to pin down—and so she hung on to it.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
