endurance
Americannoun
-
the fact or power of enduring or bearing pain, hardships, etc.
-
the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina.
He has amazing physical endurance.
-
lasting quality; duration.
His friendships have little endurance.
-
something endured, as a hardship; trial.
noun
-
the capacity, state, or an instance of enduring
-
something endured; a hardship, strain, or privation
Related Words
See patience.
Etymology
Origin of endurance
Explanation
Endurance is the power to withstand something challenging. If you decide to run a marathon, you will need lots of endurance to run over 26 miles. The noun endurance contains endure, which means "to suffer or undergo" and the suffix -ance means "the state of." It can be used to describe the physical strength to keep going, as in a marathon or giving birth, but it can also be used when discussing an exhausting mental situation or stressful time — the endurance to bounce back from heartbreak, perhaps.
Vocabulary lists containing endurance
Vocabulary of the Summer Olympics
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Excerpt from "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Beowulf vocabulary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In grueling endurance sports like cycling, and now running, athletes are gobbling down unprecedented amounts of sugary carbohydrates, both in training and competition, via fast-acting gels and bottles loaded with glucose and fructose.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
Yes, running people, I’ll say it for you: Carb loading is an old, old staple of endurance racing, and sugars have always been a method of getting quick carbs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
Developments in fuelling have also aided progress in endurance events.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
These modified T cells showed improved endurance, multiplied more quickly, and targeted cancer cells with greater precision.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
Campion and Chervil were kept busy taking out endurance patrols, and tussles and training fights were organized at morning silflay.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
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.
