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Synonyms

dogged

1 American  
[daw-gid, dog-id] / ˈdɔ gɪd, ˈdɒg ɪd /

adjective

  1. persistent in effort; stubbornly tenacious.

    a dogged worker.
    Synonyms:
    unyielding, inflexible, mulish, persistent
dogged 2 American  
[dawgd, dogd] / dɔgd, dɒgd /

adjective

Southern U.S.

  1. doggoned; damned; confounded.

    Well, I'll be dogged!
dogged British  
/ ˈdɒɡɪd /

adjective

  1. obstinately determined; wilful or tenacious

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See stubborn.

Other Word Forms

  • doggedly adverb
  • doggedness noun

Etymology

Origin of dogged

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English: “having characteristics of a dog”; dog, -ed 3

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.

Many hoped the conflict would lead to rapid regime collapse, but the regime’s dogged efforts to stay in power prove that was never realistic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Conyngham does not call his findings a cure -- but experts unrelated to the dogged endeavours said they highlight AI's potential to accelerate medical research.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

And for all its heavy-handed writing and mystifying character flourishes, “Tow” manages to be mostly an effective, if silly, story of perseverance, thanks almost entirely to Byrne’s dogged performance.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026

The mineral-rich east of DR Congo has been dogged by conflict for more than 30 years, since the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

But ever since he turned sixteen, he’s spent his time at the Games being dogged by those desperately in love with him.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

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.