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Lecture 19

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e’ve all heard the aphorism that there’s no substitute for hard

work. But if you’ve ever worked with any group, you know

that not everyone is a hard worker. Some people are diligent

and dogged and will persistently plug away until a job’s done. Others are

highly skilled, competent, and technically adroit; these professionals have

the expertise to do the job and do it well. Still others are cheerful and

optimistic; they give their fellow workers a shot of energy when they’re

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or apathetic. In this lecture, we’ll discover some new words to describe all

these different types of working and doing.

Sedulous (adjective)

Diligent in application or in the pursuit of something; persevering;

constant in effort.

z Sedulous can describe both people and their work. In the following

context sentence, it applies to the work of the carpenter: “The

sedulous workmanship of the master carpenter was evident in the

perfection of every detail of the stunning table, from the exquisitely

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z Synonyms for sedulous include diligent, assiduous, persistent,

tenacious, and pertinacious.

ż The last words in this list, tenacious and pertinacious, are

related, but they are not exact synonyms. As observed by

Rod L. Evans in The Artful Nuance, tenacious has a positive

connotation, suggesting a determined adherence to a course of

action or holding fast despite opposing forces. For example:

“The cancer survivor’s tenacious spirit—overcoming years of

setbacks, chemotherapy, and radiation—inspired others.”