persistence

American  

[per-sis-tuhns, -zis-] / pərˈsɪs təns, -ˈzɪs- /

Often persistency

noun

1. the act or fact of persisting.

2. the quality of being persistent.

   You have persistence, I'll say that for you.

3. continued existence or occurrence.

   the persistence of smallpox.

4. the continuance of an effect after its cause is removed.

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persistence British  

/ pəˈsɪstəns /

noun

1. the quality of persisting; tenacity

2. the act of persisting; continued effort or existence

3. the continuance of an effect after the cause of it has stopped

   persistence of vision

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Related Words

See perseverance.

Other Word Forms

• nonpersistence noun
• nonpersistency noun

Etymology

Origin of persistence

First recorded in 1540–50; persist + -ence

Example Sentences

The persistence of the rain has led to the flooding many parts of the UK have experienced.

From BBC

“The magnitude, persistence, and breadth of buying activity have materially exceeded prior peaks, underscoring retail’s role as a primary source of incremental demand in early 2026,” he told clients on Wednesday.

From MarketWatch

Powell’s counterpoint is that while those possibilities are incorporated into the Fed’s projections, their magnitude and persistence remain uncertain.

From Barron's

But they may also recognise something more enduring: the persistence of the very systems the film gently mocks.

From BBC

It's a tale of never giving up, of character, unwavering self-belief and persistence, but also a warning for teams not to write a quarterback off too soon.

From BBC

Related Words

• endurance
• grit
• perseverance
• stamina
• tenacity