persevere

verb

per·​se·​vere ˌpər-sə-ˈvir How to pronounce persevere (audio)
persevered; persevering

intransitive verb

: to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement
perseveringly adverb

Did you know?

The early settlers of the New World persevered in the face of constant hardship and danger. The Pilgrims of Plymouth Plantation lost half their number in the first winter to disease and hunger, but their perseverance paid off, and within five years their community was healthy and self-sufficient. Perhaps more remarkable are all the solitary inventors who have persevered in pursuing their visions for years, lacking any financial support and laughed at by the public.

Examples of persevere in a Sentence

She persevered in her studies and graduated near the top of her class. Even though he was tired, he persevered and finished the race.
Recent Examples on the Web In these images, Torres unearths the ridiculousness of what’s happening to Ale, emphasizing how resilience doesn’t have to only mean persevering through hardship. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2024 Many are holding out hope that former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will persevere against longshot odds and beat Trump. USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024 In other words, religious beliefs and spirituality can be a source of resilience when people need to persevere and resist in the face of injustice. Alexia Salvatierra, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2024 Like her character, Diana Nyad, Bening is being positioned as an endurance artist, someone who has persevered through decades of show business. Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 From lessons on empathy, to reflections on postpartum sadness and depression, Real Vibes Only is an honest read on how to persevere through challenging times in life, motivate oneself through thick and thin, and find joy in the seemingly mundane. Sacramento Bee, 13 Feb. 2024 Be like Taylor by persevering and pursuing excellence. Allbusiness, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Nash-Betts also thanked herself for persevering in a notoriously challenging industry for Black women. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 16 Jan. 2024 Yet the Patriots persevered, their defense – and game MVP Edelman – largely carrying the day to grind out a victory over the Rams on Sean McVay's first trip to Super Sunday. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'persevere.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English perseveren, borrowed from Anglo-French parseverer, perseverer "to last, endure, persist in spite of opposition," borrowed from Latin persevērāre "to persist in a course of action or an attitude in spite of opposition, keep on, (of a condition) continue, last," from per- per- + -sevērāre, verbal derivative of sevērus "stern, austere, severe"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of persevere was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near persevere

Cite this Entry

“Persevere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persevere. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

persevere

verb
per·​se·​vere ˌpər-sə-ˈvi(ə)r How to pronounce persevere (audio)
persevered; persevering
: to keep at something in spite of difficulties, opposition, or discouragement

More from Merriam-Webster on persevere

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