What does persist mean?
Word: Persist
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Persist means to keep on doing something even though it is difficult or others want you to stop. It can also mean to continue to exist or happen.
Synonyms: persevere, continue
Antonyms: stop
How do you spell persist?
Syllables: per - sist
Tricky part: The first part is per, not pur or pir, even though said quickly it can sound like the start of purple.
Watch out for: pursist, pirsist
Memory tip: Persevere and persist open with the same per, and both are about not giving up.
Persist in a sentence
Example 1: Mira persisted with the jigsaw puzzle until the last piece clicked into place.
Example 2: The fog persisted all morning, so the ferry left an hour late.
Example 3: If a maths problem looks hard at first, persist and try another way of solving it.
Fun Fact
Persist comes from the Latin verb persistere, meaning to continue steadily or stand firm.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt one:
1. comitment 2. endeavour 3. persist 4. diligent
a) a serious attempt to do something difficult
b) a promise to do something or to stay loyal to it
c) hard-working and careful in what you do
d) to refuse to give up when a task gets hard
Show answer
b) a promise to do something or to stay loyal to it. Comitment needs a double m, as in commitment.
Word Connection
Choose the word or phrase opposite in meaning to persist as used in the sentence:
Despite many failed attempts, the young scientist chose to persist with her experiment until it finally worked.
a) press on
b) keep going
c) carry on
d) give up
Show answer
d) give up. Keep going, press on and carry on mean the same as persist; give up is its opposite.
Word Makeup
Only one of these words takes the suffix ance to make a noun. Choose it:
ance
a) resist
b) exist
c) insist
d) persist
Show answer
a) resist. Resistance ends in ance; persistence, insistence and existence all end in ence.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Even after her first three kites crashed into the sand, Mira decided to persest, and her fourth kite soared high above the crowded beach.
a) persest
b) crashed
c) soared
d) crowded
Show answer
a) persest. The vowel in the second part is i, the same as in the word sister.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. "If the rain persists, sports day will move indoors." Sports day moves indoors only if the rain ____.
a) falls for a moment
b) keeps on falling
c) turns into snow
d) stops by morning
Show answer
b) keeps on falling
2. Choose the word that best completes the sentence: She persisted ____ asking until they agreed.
a) for
b) at
c) to
d) in
Show answer
d) in
