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courage, mettle, spirit, resolution, tenacity mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship.
courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty.
mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience.
spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened.
resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends.
tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat.
Examples of tenacity in a Sentence
Word History
Middle English tenacite, borrowed from Middle French tenacité, borrowed from Latin tenācitāt-, tenācitās, from tenāc-, tenāx "holding fast, tenacious" + -itāt- -itās -ity
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near tenacity
Cite this Entry
“Tenacity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenacity. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
tenacity
nounMore from Merriam-Webster on tenacity
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tenacity
Nglish: Translation of tenacity for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of tenacity for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tenacity
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