dogged

adjective

dog·​ged ˈdȯ-gəd How to pronounce dogged (audio)
: marked by stubborn determination
a dogged competitor
dogged devotion
doggedly adverb
doggedness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for dogged

obstinate, dogged, stubborn, pertinacious, mulish mean fixed and unyielding in course or purpose.

obstinate implies usually an unreasonable persistence.

an obstinate proponent of conspiracy theories

dogged suggests an admirable often tenacious and unwavering persistence.

pursued the story with dogged perseverance

stubborn implies sturdiness in resisting change which may or may not be admirable.

a person too stubborn to admit error

pertinacious suggests an annoying or irksome persistence.

a pertinacious salesclerk refusing to take no for an answer

mulish implies a thoroughly unreasonable obstinacy.

a mulish determination to have his own way

Examples of dogged in a Sentence

Her dogged efforts eventually paid off. a dogged pursuit of power
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Though the Dodgers reportedly had the most funds available to spend on the 2024 class, Sasaki’s apparent shift to the 2025 class should not sway much in what is expected to be a dogged pursuit of the Japanese right-hander. Fabian Ardaya, The Athletic, 10 Dec. 2024 The test came back and revealed the Warriors didn’t have enough shooters, nor enough playmakers to handle Minnesota’s dogged ball pressure. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 7 Dec. 2024 This was a story about someone who had identified an obstacle and, through dogged accounting, surmounted it. Alice Gregory, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024 If successful, Raskin would be a counterpoint to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), the dogged chairman of the committee who has been an effective defender of President-elect Donald Trump. Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dogged 

Word History

Etymology

see dog entry 1

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dogged was in 1700

Dictionary Entries Near dogged

Cite this Entry

“Dogged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dogged. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

dogged

adjective
dog·​ged ˈdȯ-gəd How to pronounce dogged (audio)
: stubbornly determined : tenacious
in dogged pursuit of power
doggedly adverb
doggedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dogged

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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