- present participle of persevere.
persevering
Americanadjective
Usage
What does persevering mean? Persevering is used to describe people who persevere—continue to do or try to achieve something despite difficulty or discouragement. A close synonym is persistent. Persevering can also be used to describe the efforts of such people. The word is typically used in a positive way to describe people who don’t give up no matter what. A persevering person keeps trying despite major challenges and setbacks. Persevering is also the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb persevere. People who are persevering are said to show perseverance, which is the quality of those who persevere, as in You showed great perseverance by recovering from your injury to compete at an even higher level. Example: Despite the many challenges they faced, our persevering students managed to finish what they started.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of persevering
Vocabulary lists containing persevering
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.
"The work you do in there isn't easy -- the dust, the smell of dead people who are already decomposing. But here we are, persevering," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
After an opening salvo of rap-centric tracks, Swim was moody and sultry, with flowing choreography that underscored its message of persevering in choppy waters.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026
If you’re suffering from the persevering cold and in need of some cooking inspiration, fret not.
From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2026
As it happens, Mr. Fox has found enough staunchly persevering or recently revived craft workshops to buoy his spirits—and ours.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
I thought about the young African women I’d met at the leadership forum, all of them now headed back to their own communities to pick up their work again, persevering through whatever tumult they faced.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
