persist
Americanverb (used without object)
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to continue steadfastly or firmly in some state, purpose, course of action, or the like, especially in spite of opposition, remonstrance, etc..
to persist in working for world peace;
to persist in unpopular political activities.
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to last or endure tenaciously.
The legend of King Arthur has persisted for nearly fifteen centuries.
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to be insistent in a statement, request, question, etc.
- Synonyms:
- insist
verb (used with object)
verb
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(often foll by in) to continue steadfastly or obstinately despite opposition or difficulty
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to continue to exist or occur without interruption
the rain persisted throughout the night
Related Words
See continue.
Other Word Forms
- nonpersisting adjective
- persister noun
- persistingly adverb
- persistive adjective
- persistively adverb
- persistiveness noun
- unpersisting adjective
Etymology
Origin of persist
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin persistere, literally, “to stand firm permanently,” equivalent to per- per- ( def. ) + sistere “to (cause to) stand,” akin to stāre “to stand ( def. ) ”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If the tension persists, it could signal that scientists need to revise their understanding of the early universe.
From Science Daily
But Persian culture has persisted for more than 3,000 years, he said.
From Los Angeles Times
When these relationships end, female subordinates’ earnings drop by roughly 18% the year after the breakup, with losses persisting for at least four years.
I want to add that if comments about your appearance persist, you might want to consult your employee handbook and ask HR.
From MarketWatch
Since national defense cannot tolerate downtime, readiness spending tends to persist even when procurement ebbs.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
