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# persist

verb (persist, persists, persisted, persisting)

«persist» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To persist is to keep doing something even when it is hard or other people want you to stop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/#m1)
2. If something bad persists, it continues for longer than expected. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/#m2)

### In the lessons

In everyday life and health, «if the pain persists, see a doctor» is common advice on medicine packets. In school, teachers praise pupils who persist with a hard problem. In stories, a hero persists until they succeed. Phrases: persist in, persist with, if symptoms persist.

### Examples

- If your cough persists, go to the doctor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/#x1)
- She persisted with the puzzle until she solved it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/#x2)
- The rain persisted all afternoon. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/#x3)
- He persisted in asking questions, even after we said no. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/#x4)
- Keep practising — if you persist, you will get better. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/#x5)
- The smell persisted for days after the bin was emptied. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/#x6)
- The myth that goldfish have a three-second memory persists. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/#x7)
- Why do you persist in this folly? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/#x8)

### Note

Regular verb: persisted, persisting. The noun is «persistence», the adjective «persistent». «Persist in doing» is followed by -ing. It is a little formal; in speech people say «keep going» or «carry on».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «persist» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/persist/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«persist» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/persist.html) on Mova free.