persist

American  

[per-sist, -zist] / pərˈsɪst, -ˈzɪst /

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

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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 British  

/ 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

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Related Words

See continue.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of persist

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. ) ”

Explanation

When someone persists they keep going or hang on. If you want to finish a marathon, you have to persist and keep running, no matter how many blisters you have. The great Roman poet Ovid once advised: “Endure and persist, this pain will turn good by and by.” As Ovid’s quote hints at, persistence is often associated with hardship and the reward that comes with not backing down. Synonyms include endure, follow through, and persevere, while antonyms include cease and give up.

Example Sentences

Another surprising result was the discovery that small pockets of CDW order can persist even above the transition temperature, where long-range order is typically expected to vanish.

From Science Daily • Apr. 28, 2026

Raz Zimmt, director of the Iran research program at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, said the highly unpopular regime risks looking vulnerable at home if it lets the perception of divisions persist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

It’s a chemistry that has built a faith even amid Friday night’s immeasurably high hurdle, a faith that should persist beyond the framework of this finished first-round series.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026

Airlines have trimmed routes and costs as fuel bills explode and wary passengers think twice about travel plans, a situation that could persist even if a fragile truce holds in the Middle East.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Whenever I brought a book to the job, I wrapped it in newspaper—a habit that was to persist for years in other cities and under other circumstances.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

Related Words

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