persevering

Persevering is used to describe people who persevere—continue to do or try to achieve something despite difficulty or discouragement. A close synonym is persistent.

Persevering can also be used to describe the efforts of such people.

The word is typically used in a positive way to describe people who don’t give up no matter what. A persevering person keeps trying despite major challenges and setbacks.

Persevering is also the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb persevere.

People who are persevering are said to show perseverance, which is the quality of those who persevere, as in You showed great perseverance by recovering from your injury to compete at an even higher level.

Example: Despite the many challenges they faced, our persevering students managed to finish what they started.

The first records of the word persevering as an adjective come from the 1600s. Its base word, persevere, comes from the Latin persevērāre, meaning “to persist,” from persevērus, “very strict.”

Being persevering takes strict discipline. People who are persevering may want to give up, but they keep going. Perseverance is often associated with other qualities that are thought to be essential for achieving success, like patience and a willingness to work hard. But being persevering is more than working hard—it’s continuing to work hard even after failing.

What are some other forms related to persevering?

• persevere (verb)

What are some synonyms for persevering?

• persistent
• enduring
• dogged
• steadfast
• tenacious

What are some words that share a root or word element with persevering? 

• perseverance
• perseverate
• severe

What are some words that often get used in discussing persevering?

• effort
• work
• student
• patient
• dedicated
• adversity
• challenges
• obstacles
• difficulty
• courageous

Persevering is almost always used positively to describe people who don’t give up—and their efforts.

Today, we reflect on #MLK’s extraordinary life & his persevering work for all Americans struggling for justice. Let’s keep his dream alive.

— Mark Udall (@MarkUdall) April 4, 2013

An amazing series with such persevering efforts from Team India. Well done team on the series win! #INDvENG @BCCI

— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) January 22, 2017

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your courageous, persevering efforts, both now and as ever!

— The Whole U (@UWWholeU) March 16, 2020

Which of the following terms is NOT a synonym of persevering?

A. persistent
B. dogged
C. weak
D. steadfast