persevere

IPA/ˌpɜːsəˈvɪə(r)/
KK[pɚsəvˈɪr]IPA/ˌpɜːrsəˈvɪr/

persevere — verb

  • perseverepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • persevereshe / she / it
  • perseveredpast simple
  • persevering-ing form

1. to keep working toward a goal and not stop, even when it is slow, hard, or disco

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to keep working toward a goal and not stop, even when it is slow, hard, or discouraging.

Example

Hana persevered with her art after two schools rejected her work.

persevere with + noun

Though the hill was steep, the children persevered until they reached the temple.

Common collocations
  • persevere with your studies
  • persevere through pain
  • persevere despite setbacks
  • persevere until the end
Synonyms
  • persist

    closest formal synonym; can also suggest stubbornness in some contexts

  • keep going

    plainer and more conversational

  • stick with

    informal; stresses not leaving a plan or activity

Antonyms
  • give up

    stop trying before the goal is reached

  • quit

    leave the effort or activity entirely

Grammar Patterns

persevere in + gerund

persevere with + noun

persevere through + difficult period

Usage Note

Often followed by "in", "with", or "through", depending on whether the focus is an activity, a task, or a hard period. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense centers on deliberate effort toward a goal.

Common Mistakes

She persevered the training after her injury.
She persevered with the training after her injury.
'persevere' is usually intransitive, so the activity is introduced with a preposition.
We persevered to finish the race.
We persevered until we finished the race.
do not use 'persevere' directly before a to-infinitive.

2. if a custom, business, relationship, or way of life is still there, it has laste

2.verbintransitiveC1
Definition

if a custom, business, relationship, or way of life is still there, it has lasted through change or pressure that could have ended it.

Example

Small family farms still persevere in the valley despite rising costs.

non-human subject with existence sense

The custom has persevered for centuries in the island's winter festival.

often used with customs and traditions

Common collocations
  • persevere for centuries
  • persevere despite change
  • persevere through hardship
Synonyms
  • survive

    more common; often stresses avoiding destruction or failure

  • endure

    emphasizes lasting over time, often with strain

  • last

    plainest option; simply means continue for a period

Antonyms
  • disappear

    cease to exist or no longer be present

  • die out

    used especially for customs, species, or traditions ending

Grammar Patterns

[custom/business/relationship] + persevere

[subject] + persevere through + change

Usage Note

Subject is usually a custom, business, relationship, or community rather than an individual person. Distinguish from sense 1: the focus here is survival over time, not active striving toward a result.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

"Persevere" is stronger than "keep going" because it clearly suggests setbacks, delay, or discouragement. "Persist" is the nearest synonym and often sounds slightly more formal, though it can sometimes imply stubbornness. "Stick with" is more conversational and usually means not leaving a plan, habit, or task. "Endure" is different: it focuses more on suffering something than on pushing toward a goal. You can persevere with piano practice after repeated mistakes, but you endure a long train ride or severe pain. Think of "persevere" when effort and determination matter most.

persist ↗keep going ↗stick with ↗endure ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • persevere against the odds

Prepositions

  • persevere despite
  • persevere through

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

English borrowed "persevere" through Old French from Latin "perseverare", a verb meaning to continue steadily or remain firm. From its earliest history, the word has been connected with the idea of not stopping when trouble, delay, or pressure makes progress hard.