Dogged — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈdȯ-gəd/ dog·ged

Meaning & Definition of Dogged

Dogged (adjective)

  1. marked by stubborn determination

Dogged (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. continuing despite difficulties, opposition, or discouragement

    "a madman who spent his life in dogged pursuit of power"

    similar: insistent, patient, persevering, persistent, pertinacious, tenacious
    related: assured, certain, dedicated, determined, firm, hell-bent, intent, positive, resolute, resolved, single-minded, sure, adamant, bullheaded, hardened, hardheaded, headstrong, implacable, indurate, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, opinionated, peevish, perverse, pigheaded, self-willed, stiff-necked, stubborn, unregenerate, unyielding, willful, unfaltering, unhesitating, unwavering, resistant, wayward, wrongheaded, constant, devoted, faithful, good, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true, indomitable, unconquerable, hard, inflexible, relentless, stern, unbending, unflinching, unrelenting
    near: quitting, surrendering, yielding, faltering, hesitant, hesitating, irresolute, vacillating, wavering, disloyal, faithless, false, fickle, inconstant, perfidious, traitorous, treacherous

  2. sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion

    "your dogged adherence to a really lame argument is embarrassing"

    similar: adamant, adamantine, bullheaded, hard, hard-nosed, hardened, hardheaded, headstrong, immovable, implacable, inconvincible, inflexible, intransigent, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, opinionated, ossified, pat, pertinacious, perverse, pigheaded, self-opinionated, self-willed, stiff-necked, stubborn, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, willful, deaf to reason
    related: anal-retentive, obsessive, wayward, wrongheaded, determined, hell-bent, inexorable, persistent, relentless, resolved, set, single-minded, steadfast, stouthearted, tenacious, unflinching, firm, hard-line, hard-shell, iron, severe, stern, strict, hidebound, narrow-minded, rigid, bloody-minded (chiefly British), cantankerous, contrary, cussed, contumacious, disobedient, froward, insubordinate, intractable, recalcitrant, refractory, uncooperative, ungovernable, unmanageable, unruly, defiant, insurgent, mutinous, indomitable, invincible, unconquerable, confirmed, inveterate, unregenerate, demanding, exacting
    opposite: acquiescent, agreeable, amenable, compliant, complying, flexible, pliable, pliant, relenting, yielding
    near: docile, obedient, placable, submissive, tractable, accepting, persuadable, receptive, responsive, willing, governable, manageable, reasonable, temperate, slavish, subservient

  3. showing no signs of slackening or yielding in one's purpose

    "a dogged search for the missing piece of the puzzle"

    similar: determined, grim, implacable, relentless, unappeasable, unflinching, unrelenting, unyielding
    related: persevering, persistent, tenacious, hard, hardheaded, headstrong, intractable, mulish, obdurate, opinionated, peevish, pertinacious, perverse, pigheaded, self-willed, stubborn, uncooperative, willful, merciless, ruthless, unforgiving
    near: slackening, softening, yielding, impotent, invertebrate, slack, spineless, weak, complaisant, obliging, pliable, pliant

Dogged (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to go after or on the track of

    "star athletes being dogged by fans when they're out in public"

    similar: bird-dogged, chased, coursed, followed, hounded, pursued, ran, shadowed, tagged, tailed, traced, tracked, trailed, ran after
    related: accompanied, chaperoned, escorted, hunted, searched (for), sought, eyed, observed, watched
    opposite: guided, led, piloted
    near: headed

  2. to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders

    "tired of constantly having to dog their son about cleaning his room"

    similar: henpecked, hounded, nagged, needled, pecked (at), picked at
    related: carped (at), fussed (about or over), nitpicked, annoyed, badgered, baited, bothered, bugged, chivied, harassed, harried, hassled, irked, pestered, plagued, rode, vexed, yapped (at), egged, goaded, incited, prodded, prompted, spurred, urged, exhorted, insisted, pressed, pressured, pushed, blandished, cajoled, coaxed, wheedled, begged, importuned, pleaded
    near: complimented, commended, lauded, praised, recommended, touted, acclaimed, applauded, built up, eulogized, extolled

Related Entry: Dog (verb)

Dog is a different word from Dogged. The synonyms below are for dog, not for dogged.

  1. to go after or on the track of

    "star athletes being dogged by fans when they're out in public"

    similar: bird-dog, chase, course, follow, hound, pursue, run, shadow, tag, tail, trace, track, trail, run after
    related: accompany, chaperone, escort, hunt, search (for), seek, eye, observe, watch
    opposite: guide, lead, pilot
    near: head

  2. to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders

    "tired of constantly having to dog their son about cleaning his room"

    similar: henpeck, hound, nag, needle, peck (at), pick at
    related: carp (at), fuss (about or over), nitpick, annoy, badger, bait, bother, bug, chivy, harass, harry, hassle, irk, pester, plague, ride, vex, yap (at), egg, goad, incite, prod, prompt, spur, urge, exhort, insist, press, pressure, push, blandish, cajole, coax, wheedle, beg, importune, plead
    near: compliment, commend, laud, praise, recommend, tout, acclaim, applaud, build up, eulogize, extol

Related Entry: Bird-dogged (verb)

Bird-dogged is a different word from Dogged. The synonyms below are for bird-dogged, not for dogged.

  1. to go after or on the track of

    "suspecting infidelity, he hired a private detective to bird-dog his wife"

    similar: chased, coursed, dogged, followed, hounded, pursued, ran, shadowed, tagged, tailed, traced, tracked, trailed, ran after
    related: accompanied, chaperoned, escorted, hunted, searched (for), sought, eyed, observed, watched
    opposite: guided, led, piloted
    near: headed

Related Entry: Bird-dog (verb)

Bird-dog is a different word from Dogged. The synonyms below are for bird-dog, not for dogged.

  1. to go after or on the track of

    "suspecting infidelity, he hired a private detective to bird-dog his wife"

    similar: chase, course, dog, follow, hound, pursue, run, shadow, tag, tail, trace, track, trail, run after
    related: accompany, chaperone, escort, hunt, search (for), seek, eye, observe, watch
    opposite: guide, lead, pilot
    near: head

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dogged

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dogged:

insistent, patient, persevering, persistent, pertinacious, tenacious, adamant, adamantine, bullheaded, hard, hard-nosed, hardened, hardheaded, headstrong, immovable, implacable, inconvincible, inflexible, intransigent, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, opinionated, ossified, pat, perverse, pigheaded, self-opinionated, self-willed, stiff-necked, stubborn, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, willful, determined, grim, relentless, unappeasable

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Dogged

Words with the opposite meaning of Dogged:

acquiescent, agreeable, amenable, compliant, complying, flexible, pliable, pliant, relenting, yielding, guided, led, piloted

Related Words for Dogged

assured, certain, dedicated, firm, hell-bent, intent, positive, resolute, resolved, single-minded, sure, indurate, peevish, unregenerate, unfaltering, unhesitating, unwavering, resistant, wayward, wrongheaded, constant, devoted, faithful, good, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true, indomitable

Near Antonyms of Dogged

quitting, surrendering, faltering, hesitant, hesitating, irresolute, vacillating, wavering, disloyal, faithless, false, fickle, inconstant, perfidious, traitorous, treacherous, docile, obedient, placable, submissive, tractable, accepting, persuadable, receptive, responsive, willing, governable, manageable, reasonable, temperate

Word Forms of Dogged

Derived words: doggedly (adverb), doggedness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Dogged

Middle English, having unattractive qualities (as belligerence or surliness) traditionally attributed to some dogs, from dog, dogge dog:1 + -ed -ed:1

First known use: 1700

Frequently Asked Questions about Dogged

What does "Dogged" mean?

"Dogged" means marked by stubborn determination. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: marked by stubborn determination. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dogged"?

Other words for "Dogged" include insistent, patient, persevering, persistent, pertinacious, tenacious, adamant and adamantine. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dogged" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dogged"?

There are 178 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dogged". Common alternatives include insistent, patient, persevering, persistent, pertinacious, tenacious, adamant, adamantine, bullheaded and hard.

What is the opposite of "Dogged"?

Antonyms of "Dogged" include acquiescent, agreeable, amenable, compliant, complying, flexible, pliable and pliant. Near antonyms include quitting, surrendering, faltering and hesitant.

How do you use "Dogged" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dogged" in a sentence: "a madman who spent his life in dogged pursuit of power"; "your dogged adherence to a really lame argument is embarrassing"; "a dogged search for the missing piece of the puzzle".

Is "Dogged" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dogged" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Dogged"?

"Dogged" is pronounced /ˈdȯ-gəd/ and divided into syllables as dog·ged.

What is the origin of the word "Dogged"?

"Dogged" comes from Middle English, having unattractive qualities (as belligerence or surliness) traditionally attributed to some dogs, from dog, dogge dog:1 + -ed -ed:1. First known use: 1700.