resolute
Americanadjective
-
firmly resolved or determined; set in purpose or opinion.
Her parents wanted her to marry, but she was focused on her education and remained resolute.
-
characterized by firmness and determination, as the temper, spirit, actions, etc..
The mayor was asked to take resolute action against the looters.
- Synonyms:
- undaunted
adjective
-
firm in purpose or belief; steadfast
-
characterized by resolution; determined
a resolute answer
Synonym Usage
See earnest 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of resolute
First recorded in 1375–1425 for earlier sense “dissolved”; 1525–35 for current senses; late Middle English, from Latin resolūtus, past participle of the verb resolvere resolve
Explanation
Use the adjective resolute to describe a purposeful and determined person, someone who wants to do something very much, and won't let anything get in the way. "Milo thought for just a moment and then, with a resolute 'I shall,' volunteered to go," Norton Juster writes in the classic children's novel The Phantom Tollbooth. From the way Milo said "I shall," we can infer that he was quite confident in his split-second decision, or at least made himself appear to be so. Some near-synonyms for this word include resolved, adamant, unswerving, and unwavering. If you make a "resolute refusal" of something, you're declaring you don't like it and never will.
Vocabulary lists containing resolute
The Tragedy of Macbeth
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Beowulf
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Things Fall Apart
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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.
Even when Argentina was reduced to 10 men, the wave of Spanish jerseys kept crashing into the same resolute defense.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
However, SpotGamma, the options-market analysis company, warns that there are a number of events occurring in the middle of June that pose a threat to the resolute bullishness.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026
The Bucks County, Pennsylvania, grandmother, then 76, looked frail but resolute.
From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2026
Its social contract is built on uncompromising moral standards, an emphasis on resolute social justice, and, of course, a distaste for those who fail to properly share those values.
From Slate ● Apr. 13, 2026
It took some time for the singers to come off their level of exaltation, but the minister stood resolute until the song unwound like a child’s playtoy and lay quieted in the aisles.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
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.
