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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Without optimism, some evolutionary biologists argue, this incredible ability would have largely gone to waste, hijacked by a persistent belief that the future was less important than whatever was lurking behind the bushes, ready to pounce, right now.
—
Dr. Deepika Chopra, Flow Space, 10 Mar. 2026
While the Northeast faced persistent blasts of bitter cold and snow, exceptional winter warmth in the West nearly pushed the nation to a new all-time high for the season.
—Dan Peck, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Wood saw his doctor again on May 7, 2021, this time for a persistent cough.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026
And to do so without compromising one’s values and intellectual or emotional capacities, Austen suggests, is—for single women and, in some cases, for single men—a real and persistent struggle.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for persistent
Dr. Deepika Chopra, Flow Space, 10 Mar. 2026
While the Northeast faced persistent blasts of bitter cold and snow, exceptional winter warmth in the West nearly pushed the nation to a new all-time high for the season.
—Dan Peck, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Wood saw his doctor again on May 7, 2021, this time for a persistent cough.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026
And to do so without compromising one’s values and intellectual or emotional capacities, Austen suggests, is—for single women and, in some cases, for single men—a real and persistent struggle.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for persistent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persistent
Adjective
-
Players talk more quietly, reciting insistent promises that this team isn’t that bad.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The drums become more insistent, the harmonies stack higher, and suddenly all the movement has a direction.—
Precious Fondren,
Pitchfork,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Early connections should feel easier as affectionate Venus forms a supportive sextile with intense Pluto, encouraging us to handle stubborn issues with honest talks and practical teamwork.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Spend less time focusing on prep and cleaning and more time focusing on the food with our favorite kitchen tools, which can make poached eggs in minutes, reseal bags of ingredients, open stubborn jars, and more.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The resolute tango between the personal and the practical is a hallmark of a cookbook humdinger.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
5 Mar. 2026
-
In welcoming the group during a swearing-in ceremony, Fils-Aimé made an impassioned appeal for civic engagement in Haiti and insisted on the need for his new cabinet to take resolute action.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The fifth and sixth installments are loosely connected to this seventh film by the presence of the unusually tenacious twins Chad and Mindy Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown), who are inexplicably interning for Sidney’s longtime frenemy, journalist Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox).—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
3 Mar. 2026
-
His high-effort rebounding and tenacious shot-blocking became the focal point of the Red Storm’s gritty identity.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There, Sweetpea puts her dogged investigation skills to use and returns with proof hard enough to save SternTao from ruin.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Everton’s biggest result of the season — December’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea which ended their historic 34-game unbeaten WSL run — was down to resilient and dogged defending.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Not all the time, not in a deeply debilitating way, but enough that his ongoing battle with right-knee tendinitis has become part of his tennis-playing identity — as much as his astute court acumen, steadfast competitiveness and Southern California charisma.—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Guardians, Clase want answers about his salary Whereas Ortiz’s counsel asked for the trial to be pushed to a later date, Clase’s camp has been steadfast that the trial remain in May.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
So too is a work ethic peers often describe as relentless, paired with a preternatural optimism that keeps him pushing through setbacks.—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Mafe is a relentless, consistently productive edge rusher who averaged 49 pressures per season over the last three years.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Thanks to the depth of their pitching staff, the Dodgers can afford to be patient with building up Snell.—
Jack Vita,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The Moon is opposing Jupiter (currently in your patient 7th house).—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Persistent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persistent. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
