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insist

verb

in-ˈsist How to pronounce insist (audio)
Definition of insistnext
as in to allege
to state as a fact usually forcefully she continued to insist that she was right, even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of insist The couple’s two teen sons insisted on helping search for their father at Ground Zero. — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026 Lee insisted on including the American flags dotting lawns, the general sense of unease and, in a somber touch, a credits sequence featuring the Tribute in Light. — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 When his body was found, Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, insisted on an open-casket funeral. — Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026 After one of the district's two co-athletic directors stepped down, administrators recommended moving to a one-director model, while the board insisted on keeping the co-director structure. — Aubrey Wright, IndyStar, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insist
  1. allege
  2. claim
  3. assert
  4. contend
  5. maintain
  6. declare
Verb
  • Additionally, the party alleged Tupone ran as a Green candidate to siphon votes from Brooks.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Lyft also doesn’t fingerprint its drivers unless required by law and doesn’t provide adequate background checks, the lawsuit alleged.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of allege
Verb
  • The group claims that HIV treatment has improved in the decades since the military initially categorized HIV as a health problem that disqualifies someone from enlistment.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 15 Sep. 2026
  • At the same time, the Houthis claimed a successful attack on a Saudi air base, following an attack last week on a Saudi oil pipeline.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of claim
Verb
  • After going behind early to a Kai Havertz goal, PSG had to remain patient, before gradually asserting their authority in the contest.
    — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Thus Irving manages to have his cake and eat it too, by insisting on the tale’s authenticity while asserting his own skepticism.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of assert
Verb
  • Ahead of the legal arguments, most experts contend that Missouri likely will not use the gerrymandered map in November and instead conduct the election using a map lawmakers passed in 2022.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Penn State regularly contended for New Year’s Six bowls but lost the close, important games so often that fans braced for heartbreak.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of contend
Verb
  • Furnace monitoring and high-temperature measurement systems, for example, require optical windows that can maintain their performance while allowing sensors or cameras to observe processes taking place at elevated temperatures.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
  • During that time, legendary Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer made the Hokies a brand on the national stage, while UVA struggled to maintain relevancy in the ACC.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of maintain
Verb
  • As Sullivan declared the mistrial, another female juror closed her eyes, nodded slowly and bowed her head.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Eight years, 29 medications and 40 doctors later, his illness was declared treatment-resistant.
    — Kelly Rogers Victor, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of declare

Phrases Containing insist

Browse Nearby Words

insipidity
insist
insisted
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Cite this Entry

“Insist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insist. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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