persist

[per-sist, -zist]

verb (used without object)

1. to continue steadfastly or firmly in some state, purpose, course of action, or the like, especially in spite of opposition, remonstrance, etc..

   to persist in working for world peace;

   to persist in unpopular political activities.

2. to last or endure tenaciously.

   The legend of King Arthur has persisted for nearly fifteen centuries.

3. to be insistent in a statement, request, question, etc.

   Synonyms: insist

verb (used with object)

1. Computers.,  to cause (a record, configuration, value, etc.) to be written to permanent storage by the scripted process that created it, so that it continues to exist in the same state after the script has finished running.

persist

/ pəˈsɪst /

verb

1. (often foll by in) to continue steadfastly or obstinately despite opposition or difficulty

2. to continue to exist or occur without interruption

   the rain persisted throughout the night

Other Word Forms

• persister noun
• persistingly adverb
• persistive adjective
• persistively adverb
• persistiveness noun
• nonpersisting adjective
• unpersisting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of persist¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin persistere, literally, “to stand firm permanently,” equivalent to per- per- ( def. ) + sistere “to (cause to) stand,” akin to stāre “to stand ( def. ) ”

Word History and Origins

Origin of persist¹

C16: from Latin persistere, from per- (intensive) + sistere to stand steadfast, from stāre to stand

Synonym Study

See continue.

Example Sentences

Koerner’s home was destroyed in the Eaton fire in January, but he has pushed and persisted, trying to speed the rebuilding for Daisy’s sake as much as his own.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Heavy rain though is likely to persist around eastern England in particular.

Read more on BBC

“That is all the truer given the admission of weaker productivity growth persisting.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Urine tests confirmed a corresponding decline in internal exposure, averaging a 50 percent reduction that persisted through 2022.

Read more on Science Daily

This signals that price pressures will likely persist, even if retail prices fell this year as stores featured Thanksgiving deals to draw in consumers.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• carry on 
• carry over 
• continue 
• endure 
• go on 
• linger 
• persevere 
• prevail 
• pursue 
• recur 
• remain