First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
tenacity
noun te·nac·i·ty \tə-ˈna-sə-tē\
Definition of TENACITY
: the quality or state of being tenacious
See tenacity defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Examples of TENACITY
- If there is a particular tenacity in Islamist forms of terrorism today, this is a product not of Islamic scripture but of the current historical circumstance that many Muslims live in places of intense political conflict. —Max Rodenbeck, New York Book Review, 30 Nov. 2006
- … everything about a person, even the most blameless of facts, can have the sticky tenacity of a secret. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2002
- A tribute to tenacity, the free ascent of Trango Tower was the fulfillment of a cowboy climber's dream. —Todd Skinner, National Geographic, April 1996
- [+]more
Origin of TENACITY
(see tenacious)
Synonym Discussion of TENACITY
courage, mettle, spirit, resolution, tenacity mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship. courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty <the courage to support unpopular causes>. mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience <a challenge that will test your mettle>. spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened <her spirit was unbroken by failure>. resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends <the resolution of pioneer women>. tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat <held to their beliefs with great tenacity>.
TENACITY Defined for Kids
tenacity
noun te·nac·i·ty \tə-ˈna-sə-tē\
Definition of TENACITY for Kids
: the quality or state of being persistent <The dog held his bone with tenacity.>
Learn More About TENACITY
Browse
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up tenacity? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).