insist

verb

in·​sist in-ˈsist How to pronounce insist (audio)
insisted; insisting; insists
Synonyms of insistnext

intransitive verb

1
: to be emphatic, firm, or resolute about something intended, demanded, or required
They insist on going.
2
archaic : persist

transitive verb

: to maintain in a persistent or positive manner
insisted that the story was true

Examples of insist in a Sentence

I didn't want to go, but she insisted. “Come on, let's go.” “Oh, all right, if you insist.” She insists the money is hers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The adult woman explained that despite being fully independent, her parents insisted on having access to her personal bank account. Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025 After these allegations made local headlines last month, Schiffl, the provost's spokesperson, confirmed to NPR that Grasl has since returned the welfare payments and insists there was no wrongdoing. Esme Nicholson, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025 Arriving at a moment when the movies have seldom felt more finite or more vulnerable, as an industry or as a medium, this astonishing work insists—in its title, and in the heroic force of Bi’s artistry and ambition—that every end really is a new beginning. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025 Buckman’s images are not answers but dwellings—spaces where a viewer can sit with contradiction without being shouted at, where a community can insist on its presence without apology. Olga Garcia-Mayoral, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for insist

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin; Middle French insister, from Latin insistere to stand upon, persist, from in- + sistere to take a stand; akin to Latin stare to stand — more at stand

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of insist was in 1586

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insist. Accessed 21 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

insist

verb
in·​sist in-ˈsist How to pronounce insist (audio)
1
: to place special stress or great importance
insists on punctuality
2
: to make a demand : request urgently
insisted that I come

More from Merriam-Webster on insist

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