insist

American  

[in-sist] / ɪnˈsɪst /

verb (used without object)

• insists,
  present (3rd person singular)
• insisted,
  past participle,  past
• insisting
  present participle

1. to be emphatic, firm, or resolute on some matter of desire, demand, intention, etc..

   He insists on checking every shipment.

2. to lay emphasis in assertion.

   to insist on the justice of a claim.

3. to dwell with earnestness or emphasis (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to insist on a point in a discussion.

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verb (used with object)

• insists,
  present (3rd person singular)
• insisted,
  past participle,  past
• insisting
  present participle

1. to assert or maintain firmly.

   He insists that he saw the ghosts.

2. to demand or persist in demanding.

   I insist that you see this thing through.

   Synonyms:

   require, urge

insist British  

/ ɪnˈsɪst /

verb

1. to make a determined demand (for)

   he insisted that his rights be respected

   he insisted on his rights

2. to express a convinced belief (in) or assertion (of)

   he insisted that she was mad

   he insisted on her madness

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• insister
  noun
• overinsist
  verb (used without object)
• reinsist
  verb (used without object)
• superinsist
  verb (used without object)
• insistingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• insisting
  present
• insisted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• insist
  simple
• insists
  simple
• have insisted
  perfect
• has insisted
  perfect
• am insisting
  progressive
• are insisting
  progressive
• is insisting
  progressive
• have been insisting
  perfect progressive
• has been insisting
  perfect progressive

Past

• insisted
  simple
• had insisted
  perfect
• was insisting
  progressive
• were insisting
  progressive
• had been insisting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will insist
  simple
• will have insisted
  perfect
• will be insisting
  progressive
• will have been insisting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of insist

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin insistere “to stand still on, persist in,” from in- in- ² + sistere “to cause to stand, stop” ( see also stand)

Explanation

To insist on something is to demand or swear to it. You can insist that you didn't eat the last piece of cake, and then insist that your brother show your mom the bits of frosting on his fingers. The verb insist comes from the Latin insistere, meaning “persist,” “dwell upon,” or “stand on.” To insist on something, like a room with a view, is to say that you must have it. To insist that you never met that man before in your life — even though there's a picture of the two of you together — is to claim that you're telling the truth. To insist on tapping your foot on the chair leg is annoying.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

insist insists insisted insisting

Even Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, a staunch europhile, has made it clear that in any future negotiations Reykjavik would insist on retaining "sovereign control over all fisheries".

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

They insist discussion should not go beyond aid issues until they do.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

That’s why you should insist that your adviser answers these questions in writing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

I have two advisers who both independently insist that I remain invested in the market since inflation is the biggest threat to my portfolio, which is worth over $10 million.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

Why did she insist on making no sense?

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Phil at Walt Disney Concert Hall and insists he’ll remain a summer fixture at his beloved Bowl.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Yet “this is not a crime story,” Mira insists.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao insists that the ship isn’t experiencing an uptick in mental-health issues and that no meals were missed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026

But it still insists it needs to stay the course.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Knowing as I do the difficulty of seeing what most everyone insists does not exist, I anticipate that this book will be met with skepticism or something worse.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

He has insisted Davis made up statements to Los Angeles police in 2008 and to Las Vegas police a year later that put him at the scene of the crime.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

The Turkish government has insisted the country's courts are independent.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Ren insisted that financial giving -- used partly to pay pastors -- is part of Biblical teaching practised by Christian churches.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

Though Parton’s groundbreaking songs were often based on her own remarkable life, she also insisted that her music went beyond her own experience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

I hated to leave Mutti and Karli, but Mutti insisted.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

Many in this case have said such accusations are baseless, insisting they are simply seeking justice for the victim of a fatal traffic accident.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

Unless those people keep insisting that they’re still standing up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

The Sweden striker finally clinched his British record transfer move to Liverpool on transfer deadline day after weeks of Newcastle United insisting he was not for sale.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

"It's a disease," said Papatiti, who was born and raised in the local Maasai community, insisting there was "no way" cyanide was involved.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

The timing of this demand seems to place in doubt the motives for your federation's not insisting at first for a forfeit on the first game.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• assert
• contend
• demand
• hold
• maintain
• press
• reiterate
• repeat
• request
• stand firm
• urge
• vow