keep at
Britishverb
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(intr) to persevere with or persist in
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(tr) to constrain (a person) to continue doing (a task)
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Persevere or persist at doing something. For example, If you keep at your math, you'll soon master it . It is also put as keep at it , as in He kept at it all day and finally finished the report . [Early 1800s]
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keep at someone . Nag, harass, or annoy someone, as in You have to keep at Carl if you want him to do the work , or He keeps at Millie all the time . Also see keep after .
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.
Low-impact exercise refers to exercises where you keep at least one foot on the ground, or support the body in some other way.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
Castro even mused about breeding miniature cows for Havana families to keep at home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
In a world where the haves are grinding down the have nots, soccer is a reminder that anything truly is possible for anyone — you just have to keep at it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
In effect: Set it and keep at it.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 21, 2026
Bile and sulfur and all the fetid organic stenches we fight all our lives to keep at bay.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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.
