persistence
Americannoun
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the act or fact of persisting.
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the quality of being persistent.
You have persistence, I'll say that for you.
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continued existence or occurrence.
the persistence of smallpox.
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the continuance of an effect after its cause is removed.
noun
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the quality of persisting; tenacity
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the act of persisting; continued effort or existence
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the continuance of an effect after the cause of it has stopped
persistence of vision
Synonym Usage
See perseverance.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of persistence
Explanation
Persistence is the ability to stick with something. If you practice the violin for over a year in order to play "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" perfectly, that's persistence! Persistence can also mean something that lasts for a very long time. The persistence of bullying, despite years of efforts by the school, has frustrated many parents. Bed bugs are known for their persistence. Despite near eradication in the 1950s, they are back and harder to eliminate than ever.
Vocabulary lists containing persistence
"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
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Where the Red Fern Grows
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "P"
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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.
What funds like his appreciate, Feng says, is momentum persistence, whereas market environments where prices are choppy or oscillate in a narrow range are not helpful.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
“The magnitude and persistence of the inflationary impulse stemming from events in the Middle East have proved stronger than expected in July,” said Huw Pill, who voted to raise the key rate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Charity Breast Cancer Now said that while campaigners' "persistence paid off", thousands of people have missed out on access to Enhertu and many have died.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
But, oh, how easy the curse’s persistence makes it to retread all those familiar plot beats, the same ones that have been removed from their context and posted to death for the last decade.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
His persistence in the face of mulishness was astounding.
From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
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.
