What does “insist” mean?
- 1
verbto say firmly that something must happen, used with “on” or “that”
She insisted on paying for dinner.
- 2
verbto keep saying firmly that something is true when others doubt it
He insists that he was at home all night.
Insist at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb
- CEFR level
- B1 (intermediate)
- Pronunciation
- /ɪnˈsɪst/ · in-SIST
How to use “insist” correctly
Say “insist on doing”, never “insist to do”. In formal US English, “insist that he be present” uses the base form.
Common phrases with “insist”
- insist on doing
- insist that
- if you insist
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Word family
- insistence
- insistent
“insist” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- convince verbB1to make someone believe that something is true
- entertain verbB1to interest and amuse people
- admit verbB1to agree, often unwillingly, that something is true or that you did something wrong
- argue verbB1to speak angrily to someone because you disagree
- boast verbB2to talk too proudly about yourself or what you have
- cite verbB2to mention something as an example or reason, or to quote a source
- claim verbB1to say that something is true, although others may not believe it
- formal adjectiveB1serious and following accepted rules, suitable for official occasions