persist
verb
per·sist
| \ pər-ˈsist
, -ˈzist
\
, -ˈzist
\
persisted;
persisting;
persists
Definition of persist
1
: to go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of opposition, importunity, or warning
2
obsolete
: to remain unchanged or fixed in a specified character, condition, or position
3
: to be insistent in the repetition or pressing of an utterance (such as a question or an opinion)
4
: to continue to exist especially past a usual, expected, or normal time
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Examples of persist in a Sentence
She had turned him down for a date before, but he persisted and asked her again.
The reporter persisted with his questioning.
If you persist with this behavior, you will be punished.
Must you persist in making that noise?
If the pain persists, see a doctor.
Doubts about the defendant's story have persisted for some time now.
Rumors persist that they are dating.
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Recent Examples on the Web
While the rumours persisted around an interest in Van der Sar, the 48-year-old has ended them prematurely by categorically ruling himself out of the job in favour remaining at Ajax. — SI.com, "Edwin van der Sar Responds to Rumours Linking Him With Man Utd Director of Football Role," 12 Sep. 2019 This state of affairs shows every sign of persisting for the next several years. — Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, "What’s Next for the GOP on Immigration?," 12 Sep. 2019 But this reckoning still falls far short, partly because deep misunderstandings persist about the wider impact of the bill and other get-tough measures that built the carceral state over the last five decades. — Marie Gottschalk, The New Republic, "The Democrats’ Shameful Legacy on Crime," 11 Sep. 2019 Around 4,000 transgender women have changed their official documents since Mexico City's laws became more accepting, but violence persists. — NBC News, "Trans women in Mexico fight for justice as murders go unpunished," 10 Sep. 2019 Some monster sightings were debunked - a famous 1934 photo published in the Daily Mail turned out to be a hoax, staged with a model head attached to a toy submarine - but interest in the legend persisted. — oregonlive, "The Loch Ness Monster is still a mystery. But scientists have some new evidence for a theory," 6 Sep. 2019 The process is steeped in threats, red tape and a system clearly stacked against the worker, and yet Shimu persists, even if her own husband no longer has her back. — Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Made in Bangladesh': Film Review | TIFF 2019," 6 Sep. 2019 Nonetheless, Cold War comparisons to cyberspace persist, from CNN headlines to the mouth of chess champion Garry Kasparov. — Wired, "Cold War Analogies are Warping Tech Policy," 5 Sep. 2019 The August jobs report, out Friday, will reveal whether the downturn in the workweek persisted last month or was a blip. — Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, "Workers are putting in fewer hours. Is that a sign a recession is coming?," 5 Sep. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'persist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for persist
persist
verb
English Language Learners Definition of persist
: to continue to do something or to try to do something even though it is difficult or other people want you to stop
: to continue to occur or exist beyond the usual, expected, or normal time
See the full definition for persist in the English Language Learners Dictionary
persist
verb
per·sist
| \ pər-ˈsist
\
\
persisted;
persisting
Kids Definition of persist
1
: to keep on doing or saying something : continue stubbornly
The reporter persisted with questions.
2
: to last on and on : continue to exist or occur
Rain persisted for days.
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