insist
verb (used without object)
to be emphatic, firm, or resolute on some matter of desire, demand, intention, etc..
were insisting
-
past progressiveof insist.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
As recently as last month, Iran’s leaders were insisting they had limited their missile ranges to the equivalent of half the distance to Diego Garcia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 21, 2026
Health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra accused Israel of "tightening its noose" around the hospital, but said the 200 medics there were insisting that they would stay to care for their 600 patients.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2023
Both assumed they were farther along than they were, insisting they had seen trail signs that didn’t exist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 19, 2021
The first time Trey Hillman heard the laugh was in 2015, when he was dragged from the coaches’ office in the Houston Astros’ spring training clubhouse by players who were insisting he come see.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 7, 2021
She listed all the movie stars, some of whom I absolutely worshiped, who were insisting on having bomb shelters installed in their backyards.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
