single-minded

[ sing-guhl-mahyn-did ]

adjective

1. having or showing a single aim or purpose:

   a single-minded program.

2. dedicated; resolute; steadfast:

   He was single-minded in his concern for truth.

   Synonyms: firm, inflexible, persevering, determined

single-minded

adjective

1. having but one aim or purpose; dedicated

Derived Forms

• ˌsingle-ˈmindedly, adverb
• ˌsingle-ˈmindedness, noun

Other Words From

• single-minded·ly adverb
• single-minded·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of single-minded¹

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

Nobody doubts his manipulative skills or his single-minded agenda to advance the interests of the corporation he created.

From The Daily Beast

Everything about Dr. Mike's bespeaks the single-minded passion of a man who has what he is quite certain is the best job on earth.

From The Daily Beast

Nick Gillespie on why their single-minded zealotry has gone too far.

From The Daily Beast

Fred has a similarly single-minded approach to keeping his pub from failing, and a growing animosity toward his competition.

From The Daily Beast

And other masters of literary journalism say they recognize the single-minded pursuit of truth at its core.

From The Daily Beast

We thought pursuit had long been abandoned, but they are driven by single-minded hate, not by logic.

From Project Gutenberg

Defects such as these could be readily corrected by association with the single-minded, painstaking, thorough Massinger.

From Project Gutenberg

They were united in a single-minded purpose, with failure before them—unless—He turned to the stranger.

From Project Gutenberg

He is, for evil or for good, the most single-minded man alive.

From Project Gutenberg

They admire his consistency and single-minded devotion to the interests of the Church which he guards.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• determined
• relentless
• steadfast
• stubborn