doggedly

American  

[daw-gid-lee, dog-id‐] / ˈdɔ gɪd li, ˈdɒg ɪd‐ /

adverb

1. in a persistent or tenacious manner.

   She worked doggedly and tirelessly, overseeing nearly every aspect of the show.

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Etymology

Origin of doggedly

dogged ¹ ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

The adverb doggedly means "tenaciously" or "with strong determination." If your dog ran away, you might doggedly pursue him across the park, down the road, and through the woods. Doggedly is the adverb form of the adjective dogged. In the 1300s, both words meant having the negative qualities of a dog, or mean and cruel. By the late 1700s, both had evolved to mean "persistent" and "with determination." If you doggedly insisted on your innocence, despite the evidence linking you to your brother's missing baseball mitt, you might then search doggedly for the mitt, not stopping until you found it in the dog house.

Example Sentences

The country’s stylish first lady was doggedly raising money for mental-health services for young people affected by conflict, displacement and the loss of friends and family members.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

"This outcome should make plain that time does not preclude a successful prosecution; we will doggedly pursue justice for the victims of non-recent crimes, no matter how many decades have passed."

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

She then stunned centre court by breaking Sabalenka's serve to reduce the deficit to 5-2, and doggedly held her own serve for 5-3.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

But it remains surprising that its members continue to stick doggedly to their story in the face of unambiguous video evidence contradicting it.

From Slate • Jan. 15, 2026

Baachan and Mama stood up to watch, but Jiichan doggedly worked.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata

Related Words

• adamantly
• decisively
• persistently
• resolutely
• staunchly
• steadfastly
• strictly
• stubbornly
• tenaciously