insistence

noun

in·​sis·​tence in-ˈsi-stən(t)s 

1

: the act or an instance of insisting

2

: the quality or state of being insistent : urgency

Synonyms of insistence

• declaration
• assertion
• claim

Examples of insistence in a Sentence

He spoke with great insistence of the need for reform.

the insistence of the crashing waves

Recent Examples on the Web

In the world of higher ed, there’s long been an insistence that college is for everyone, but this has resulted in many graduates unable to find suitable jobs; the employment prospects of English majors—or even computer-science grads—are looking increasingly grim. —Emma Green, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026

Iranian media outlets are portraying the development as a victory for Tehran’s negotiating position, claiming that Iran’s insistence on linking progress in talks with Washington to a ceasefire in Lebanon compelled the United States and Israel to agree to a ceasefire there. —Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026

Despite the show’s insistence that Robby is flawed, he’s also portrayed as medically infallible. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026

And his insistence on cutting funding for pretty much everything that creates and sustains a civilization — including the arts and sciences, the humanities and health care, the environment and education — doesn’t bode well for our nascent nation. —Melody Moezzi, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for insistence

• assistance
• consistence
• desistance
• existence
• persistence
• resistance
• subsistence
• coexistence
• nonexistence
• distance
• magnetoresistance

Kids Definition

insistence

noun

in·​sis·​tence in-ˈsis-tən(t)s 

1

: the act or an instance of insisting

2

: the quality or state of being insistent