persevere
Americanverb (used without object)
-
perseveres,
present (3rd person singular)
-
persevered,
past participle, past
-
persevering
present participle
-
to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.
-
to persist in speech, interrogation, argument, etc.; insist.
verb (used with object)
-
perseveres,
present (3rd person singular)
-
persevered,
past participle, past
-
persevering
present participle
verb
Usage
What does persevere mean? To persevere is to continue to do or try to achieve something despite difficulty or discouragement. A close synonym is persist. The word is typically used in a positive way to refer to the actions of someone who doesn’t give up no matter what. A person perseveres when they keep trying despite major challenges and setbacks. The noun perseverance refers to the act of persevering or the quality of those who persevere, as in You showed great perseverance by recovering from your injury to compete at an even higher level. The adjective persevering can be used to describe those who persevere or their actions, as in Without the persevering efforts of our first responders, we would not have been able to save so many lives. Example: Only if we work hard and persevere will we be able to achieve our goal—it will not be easy.
Synonym Usage
See continue.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
perseveresimple
-
perseveressimple
-
have perseveredperfect
-
has perseveredperfect
-
am perseveringprogressive
-
are perseveringprogressive
-
is perseveringprogressive
-
have been perseveringperfect progressive
-
has been perseveringperfect progressive
Past
-
perseveredsimple
-
had perseveredperfect
-
was perseveringprogressive
-
were perseveringprogressive
-
had been perseveringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of persevere
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English perseveren, from Middle French perseverer, from Latin persevērāre “to persist,” derivative of persevērus “very strict”; see per-, severe
Explanation
Use the verb persevere when you want to persist in anything and continue despite difficulties or obstacles. The verb persevere comes from the Latin root persevereus which means "continue steadfastly, persist" and that word comes from two others, per- for "very" and severus for "strict." So, today, the connotation of the word is to persist in a methodical way despite obstacles or distractions. You can see the relationship between persevere and perseverate, which means "to persistently repeat something," and that word is a medical term used to describe stuttering.
Vocabulary lists containing persevere
List 2
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Things Fall Apart
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A Christmas Carol
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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.
See Examples For:
"I just somehow managed to find this strength in me to persevere and to survive. If I can do it, you can do it."
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
Driving around town, looking at the lots and the wreckage, Cooley says he started to notice the bits of nature that were trying to persevere.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
"I was never a great student growing up, but I found martial arts really gave me the drive to persevere and do hard things," Terao said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
Mr. King initially believed the story was going nowhere, though his wife urged him to persevere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
Yet this same soldier had gained a new resolve to persevere.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
Fortunately for the rest of us, Wylie perseveres.
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2026
It was an appropriate ending for the Carson, Calif., product who continues to be tested — and repeatedly perseveres.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 2, 2024
“The opening song on the 1979 album ‘Breakfast in America’ about a guy stuck in a ‘dumb motel near the Taco Bell’ who perseveres to become ‘the talk of the boulevard.’
From New York Times ● May 10, 2023
Fortunately, the rock hasn't caused any damage to Perseverance, though it has certainly lived up to its owner as it perseveres in clinging to the rover after so many miles.
From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2022
The beautiful natural world of the Philippines perseveres, despite everything.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
She persevered and graduated from a high school special education program, then attempted community college.
From Salon ● Apr. 29, 2026
Hansen, who is the first non-American to travel to the Moon - told Nasa's mission control that the crew "firmly felt the power" of those who have persevered and worked so hard on this mission.
From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2026
Treasury 30-year bond when it topped 5% and he has persevered with that, enjoying limited success.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 29, 2026
Those moments were difficult for the alliance, but it persevered, said Lungescu.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026
After a couple of mouthfuls Ron had pushed his portion away, looking queasy; Harry had only persevered so as not to hurt Hermione’s feelings.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
But, wrote Clough "something told me he was worth persevering with".
From Barron's ● Dec. 25, 2025
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
To Morales, persevering through that long, painful history is what makes the agreement so significant: The tribe is “basically on the map now.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2025
But the show gently yet cleverly pushed back against any detractors, opening with “Wicked” stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande singing a medley of three songs from the “Wizard of Oz” musical universe about persevering.
From Salon ● Mar. 3, 2025
Just like I was tired of imposing and persevering.
From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo
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.
