Dogged

adj.resilient, capableprofessional

What it means

Persistently determined despite difficulty, delay, or discouragement.

Reach for it when praising a person or effort that keeps returning to a hard goal

Her dogged research restored the stories missing from the town archive.

everyday
determined
when clear resolve is more important than the length of the struggle
not when Determined can describe intention before any obstacle has actually been endured.
everyday
stubborn
when refusal to change is the central trait
not when Stubborn is usually critical and should not replace dogged when the persistence is productive and evidence-led.
professional
persistent
when effort continues or recurs over time
not when Persistent is neutral enough to describe a problem, so it carries less admiration by itself.
professional
relentless
when the effort never lets up
not when Relentless can imply harmful pressure on others and leaves little room for humane pacing.
formal
resolute
when a firm decision survives pressure to retreat
not when Resolute emphasizes conviction and may overstate the moral stakes of practical work.
formal
tenacious
when someone holds firmly to a goal or line of inquiry
not when Tenacious can praise grip alone and may become a criticism when the goal is no longer sound.
literary
indefatigable
when seemingly inexhaustible effort deserves elevated praise
not when Indefatigable overstates stamina if success came through rest, support, and repeated returns.

dogged determination
Dogged determination carried the restoration through two funding setbacks.
dogged pursuit
Her dogged pursuit of the missing records eventually reunited the family archive.
dogged effort
A dogged effort by volunteers reopened the trail before spring.
dogged researcher
The dogged researcher checked every date against the original register.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.