Vocabulary in context
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Tenacity
The quality of being persistent and determined; the ability to persevere and hold fast to a goal despite obstacles.
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Imagine This
Imagine a climber gripping a sheer cliff with unwavering determination, inching upward hand over hand despite wind and cold until they reach safety.
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Sounds Like
tə-NASS-i-tee
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Looks Like
Looks like 'tenacious' in root and form; visually the noun form '-ity' attached to the stem.
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Remember This
Tenacity conveys a positive persistence toward a goal; the word is closely tied to 'tenacious' (the quality of holding fast).
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Other Forms
tenaciousadjective
tenaciousnessnoun
tenacitiesnoun
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Connect With
persistence, perseverance, grit, determination, steadfastness
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Note
Use tenacity to describe ongoing perseverance in pursuing a goal. It is not simply stubbornness; it implies purposeful, persistent effort toward a worthy objective.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- Her tenacity in studying for the SAT helped her raise her score.
- Despite repeated failures, his tenacity kept him pursuing the dream.
Synonyms
persistenceperseverancedeterminationgritdoggedness
Antonyms
indecisioncowardicequitting
Etymology
From Latin tenacitas 'holding fast', from tenax 'holding fast'; related to the adjective tenacious.
Mnemonic
Mnemonic: TEN ACES IT — imagine you have ten aces in a card game and refuse to fold; your persistence helps you 'ace' the challenge.
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Mysterious
adjectiveDifficult to understand or explain; arousing curiosity or suspicion because of secrecy or ambiguity.
Pervade
verbTo spread through or into every part of something; to be present throughout.
Misconception
nounA belief or idea that is incorrect because it is based on faulty reasoning, incomplete evidence, or misinformation.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).
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