tenacity
Americannoun
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the quality of being tenacious, or of holding fast; persistence.
the amazing tenacity of rumors.
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the quality of retaining something.
the tenacity of memory.
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the quality or property of holding together firmly.
testing the tenacity of the old book's binding.
Related Words
See perseverance.
Other Word Forms
- overtenacity noun
Etymology
Origin of tenacity
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin tenācitās equivalent to tenāc- (stem of tenāx ) “holding fast,” derivative of tenēre “to hold” + -itās -ity ( def. )
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.
“A lot of us are going to benefit from his hard work and tenacity.”
Rising per capita income and human-development indicators on her watch prompted talk of the “Bangladesh miracle”: A once dirt-poor land racked by natural disasters joining the ranks of middle-income countries through grit and tenacity.
It takes a special eye and tenacity for a coach to rewire decades of bad habits, Bell said.
From Los Angeles Times
“While I am saddened for the victims, I am proud of the diligence and tenacity of our officers and detectives to take him into custody in less than 48 hours.”
From Los Angeles Times
I got to where I am through so much struggle, resilience and tenacity.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
