tenaciously

[tuh-ney-shuhs-lee]

adverb

1. in a strong, tight, or secure manner.

   With its creeping roots and clawed tendrils, the invasive cat’s claw vine clings tenaciously to almost any surface.

2. in a persistent or stubborn manner.

   Traditional pastoralist societies have tenaciously held on to their customs and rituals in the face of tremendous pressure from governments bent on development.

Other Word Forms

• overtenaciously adverb
• untenaciously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenaciously¹

tenacious ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Sarat argued that cases like Williams' push the country closer toward one day ending the death penalty, despite some states "tenaciously clinging" to it.

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Osborne had taken just one shot to that point as the Cougars worked tenaciously to deny the All-Pac-12 guard the ball.

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He and other older members of the American political leadership of both political parties remain locked into narratives formed decades ago, and resist tenaciously the newer perspectives of younger government staffers and congressional aides.

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"It's just another reason why we are tenaciously and tirelessly fighting for him to come home."

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Short on time, Black defends tenaciously and nearly claws back into the game: 25.

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Related Words

• adamantly 
• decisively 
• doggedly 
• persistently www.thesaurus.com
• resolutely 
• staunchly 
• steadfastly 
• strictly 
• stubbornly www.thesaurus.com