persevere
Americanverb (used without object)
-
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)
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.
Related Words
See continue.
Other Word Forms
- persevering adjective
- perseveringly adverb
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”; per-, severe
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.
But she persevered: "I want to help preserve this art form with new ideas."
From Barron's
But, wrote Clough "something told me he was worth persevering with".
From Barron's
Yunnan, in China’s southwest, draws intrepid travelers for its mountain scenery, rare tea and villages where traditions persevere.
But once she was able to figure out what was going on with her mental health, she picked up therapy, found the right medication and learned how to persevere through “apologetic, accountable and uncomfortable conversations.”
From Los Angeles Times
“It feels surreal … a right moment, right time kind of thing. I knew I had to step up to the occasion when they put me in. It was a really big game and we persevered.”
From Los Angeles Times
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.
