insistent

adjective

in·​sis·​tent in-ˈsi-stənt How to pronounce insistent (audio)
Synonyms of insistentnext
1
: disposed to insist : persistent
2
: compelling attention
the insistent pounding of the waves
insistently adverb

Examples of insistent in a Sentence

We listened to the insistent crashing of waves on the beach. Margaret Sanger is remembered as an insistent crusader for birth control.
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 Royals were insistent on getting some outfield help. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 7 Feb. 2026 So far, that information isn’t being provided (the first lady was insistent on a theatrical push around the globe). Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 1 Feb. 2026 Asked whether the 2-0 derby defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on January 17 might have gone a different way had Diogo Dalot been red-carded in the 11th minute for a knee-high foul on Jeremy Doku, Guardiola was insistent that his Manchester City team could not hide behind the decision. Sam Lee, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026 Though the rope suggests tidy metaphors of unity, coherence, and formal integrity, a playful but insistent messiness effloresces in Simms’s entanglements, throwing any seeming wholeness into question. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insistent

Word History

Etymology

Latin insistent-, insistens, present participle of insistere

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of insistent was in 1868

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Cite this Entry

“Insistent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insistent. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

insistent

adjective
in·​sis·​tent in-ˈsis-tənt How to pronounce insistent (audio)
: demanding attention : persistent
insistently adverb

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