persistence

noun

per·​sis·​tence pər-ˈsi-stən(t)s 

-ˈzi-

1

: the action or fact of persisting

2

: the quality or state of being persistent

especially : perseverance

Synonyms of persistence

• continuation
• continuity
• continuance
• continuousness

Examples of persistence in a Sentence

He admired her dogged persistence in pursuing the job.

His persistence in asking for a raise was finally rewarded.

She has shown a lot of persistence.

Recent Examples on the Web

While burning through so much of their pitching depth, the Cubs have demonstrated persistence, flexibility and problem-solving skills. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 30 July 2026

The child narrator’s lingering guilt and Ayah’s eventual recovery, achieved through the persistence of other women, place the gendered costs of partition at the center of the book. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026

Some neurodivergent people may​ bring intense focus, pattern recognition, creativity, persistence, systems thinking, visual reasoning or a willingness to question assumptions other people accept too easily. — Dr. Monika Roots, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

In its persistence and its cooperative nature, that fight shares qualities with the monarch itself. — Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1546, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for persistence

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

Kids Definition

persistence

noun

per·​sis·​tence pər-ˈsis-tən(t)s 

-ˈzis-

1

: the act or fact of persisting

2

: the quality of being persistent