PERSISTENT Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

persistent

adjective

pər-ˈsi-stənt

Definition of persistent

as in insistent

continuing despite difficulties, opposition, or discouragement although his first attempts were singularly unsuccessful, he was persistent in his pursuit of a career in rock music

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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 persistent Some companies have come out on the bright side after riding the waves of Nigeria’s persistent inflation and foreign exchange uncertainty, like MTN Nigeria, the local unit of the South African telecom giant, and ecommerce company Jumia. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026 The distinction between trucks approved, trucks crossing into Gaza and supplies successfully collected and distributed to civilians has been a persistent source of conflicting claims throughout the war. — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026 For years, aligning marketing and sales has been one of the most persistent priorities in commercial leadership—and one of the hardest to achieve. — Harvard Business Review, 4 Sep. 2026 The post and later comments arrived two months before the midterm elections, where Americans’ unhappiness with persistent high inflation has been a dominant theme. — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for persistent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for persistent

Adjective

Bangladeshi cinema has been equally insistent on subverting patriarchal stereotypes.

— Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
But flatter work, especially photography and illusionistic painting, struggles to hold its position against the building’s insistent materiality.

— Katy Barkan, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of insistent

Adjective

Designed for limp, oily, and dull hair, the color-safe formula washes away stubborn dirt and grime—common culprits of flat waves—while a lineup of amino acids work to soften and strengthen strands.

— Madison San Miguel, Allure, 5 Sep. 2026
This skirt creates a temporary seal to help focus airflow on extra-stubborn dirt.

— Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of stubborn

Adjective

Enciso can be the bustling out-ball, the tenacious, front-footed defender and provide the moments of individual brilliance to get Ipswich out of the relegation trouble many anticipate.

— David Ornstein, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Part of the frustration and fascination of these climbing docs is that the filmmakers can never quite answer the question of why these people — tenacious, but undoubtedly masochistic — carry on and up the mountain again and again.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of tenacious

Adjective

Fineman is set to play Parker Quinn, a sports reporter for a top publication who’s known as a dogged reporter with a passion for her beat.

— Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 20 July 2026
One of the hallmarks of the series is its dogged attention to detail, an aspect of storyboarding infinitely complicated by the non-linear nature of the episodes and the vast number of years Lestat’s life as a vampire spans.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2026

Definition of dogged

Adjective

The cigar lounge was steadfast in Sundance Square throughout Covid and the ever-changing business scene downtown.

— Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026
By the end of the primary, Moulton had apologized for his November 2024 remarks — and Markey’s steadfast support for trans rights was part of his re-election argument.

— David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of steadfast

Adjective

Luis Diaz’s relentless work off the ball laid the platform for Kane and Olise to enjoy their best individual seasons.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Among them is a simple farmer (a terrific Andrew Garfield) whose miserable, solitary life is illustrated by his relentless plowing of his fields and the three graves, marked by one large and two small crosses, that occupy his land.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of relentless

Adjective

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
His comments were widely interpreted as advocating a rate hike, though several key officials over the past few weeks have counseled a more patient approach.

— Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of patient

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persistent

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“Persistent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persistent. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of persistent

adjective

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