You thought sheer doggedness would win out.

Yet two books of sustained and grueling endeavor manage, in the end, to transcend their lusterless writing by the sheer doggedness and drama of the journey.

Since I'd started the job, I kept on with it out of sheer doggedness.

Working From the Inside Out He was born nearsighted, and a childhood injury to his right eye worsened his vision, but he compensated for his physical disabilities with sheer doggedness.

In a military culture in which, often, only the domineering survive, Admiral Owens has always pressed his theories with solicitude, courtesy and sheer doggedness.

Collins, 44 years old, promised to make the Astros a championship team through sheer doggedness.

He also tends to get little respect from the often rich and powerful people he must investigate in connection with his work, though in the end he typically wins the day through sheer doggedness.

"These schemes are testimony to the sheer doggedness of the human spirit," declares historian Bettany Hughes.

All my "victories" were gained through sheer doggedness.

But Mr. Treffinger believes that in spite of his smaller reserve of campaign funds (he has raised about $1.2 million), he can make an impression with sheer doggedness.