Meaning & use

pertinacity

noun·Advanced

Stubborn and persistent determination in holding to an opinion, purpose, or course of action.

See it in a sentence

Her pertinacity in pursuing the case eventually forced the company to settle out of court.

Critics saw his pertinacity as admirable resolve, while others simply called it stubbornness.

A note on using this word

Pertinacity is a formal, somewhat old-fashioned word; persistence or tenacity would sound more natural in everyday conversation.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

irresolution

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