What does “persist” mean?
- 1
verbto continue doing something firmly, even when it is difficult or others object
She persisted with her studies despite many setbacks.
- 2
verbto continue to exist, especially something unpleasant
If the pain persists, see a doctor.
Persist at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb
- CEFR level
- C1 (advanced)
- Pronunciation
- /pərˈsɪst/ · per-SIST
How to use “persist” correctly
Use “persist in doing” or “persist with something”, not “persist to do”.
Common phrases with “persist”
- persist in doing
- persist with
- problems persist
- persistent cough
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- give up
- stop
Word family
- persistent
- persistence
- persistently
“persist” is on these word lists
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