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.
Judge Alistair Watson said he was imposing a sentence which reflected the seriousness and persistence of Petrie's crimes.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
"What AI mostly brings is persistence," Church told AFP, saying he felt "an unbelievable sense of satisfaction and excitement when I saw the result".
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
These domains help organize DNA into broad sections within the cell, and their persistence suggests that some features of genome architecture are strongly conserved.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
There are others who say a world of rolling supply shocks amid geopolitical tensions is creating inflation persistence that won’t go away without higher policy rates.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
“She and others are about to inherit this sanctuary, a vital step toward reaching our ultimate ends. After decades of persistence, nothing can forestall me.”
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
