Keuletan

Keuletan is a noun in Indonesian that refers to the quality of being tenacious or persistent. It encompasses perseverance, grit, and the willingness to continue pursuing a goal despite obstacles, setbacks, or slow progress. In everyday language, keuletan is often praised as a characteristic of dedication and resilience, whether in study, work, or sports. Its positive connotations emphasize sustained effort and discipline; however, in some contexts it can carry a negative nuance when it implies stubbornness or inflexibility.

Etymology and scope: The term is formed from the prefix ke- plus the root ulet, signaling a state or quality. The root ulet is associated with persistence in repeated actions, and its use extends across both personal traits and, in certain technical discussions, material properties.

Usage: Keuletan is commonly used in self-improvement discourse, leadership, and coaching to describe attributes linked to long-term success. It also appears in literature to characterize steadfast or resilient characters. In technical contexts, especially in engineering or materials science, keuletan can be used to translate the concept of toughness—describing a material’s ability to absorb energy and deform before fracturing. This sense distinguishes keuletan from notions of mere strength or stiffness.

Related terms: Ketekunan, kegigihan, and ketahanan are closely related concepts describing perseverance, persistence, and resilience. Antonyms include kemalasan, kelesuan, and menyerah, which express laziness or giving up.

See also: perseverance, resilience, toughness, material toughness.