persistence
/pəˈsɪst(ə)ns
/noun [mass noun]
1The fact of continuing in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition: Cardiff’s persistence was rewarded with a try...
- He did this with good policies, hard work and persistence and in spite of media bias in favour of his New Labour opponent.
- What might be the factors determining the tenacious persistence of virus transmission?
- Her persistence was rewarded, however, in 1970 when she won a by-election in West Bromwich.
Synonyms
perseverance, tenacity, determination, resolve, resolution, resoluteness, staying power, purposefulness, firmness of purpose, patience, endurance, application, diligence, sedulousness, dedication, commitment, doggedness, persistency, pertinacity, assiduity, assiduousness, steadfastness, tirelessness, indefatigability, stamina;
intransigence, obstinacy;
German Sitzfleisch
informal stickability
North American informal stick-to-it-iveness
archaic continuance
rare perseveration
1.1The continued or prolonged existence of something: the persistence of huge environmental problems...
- Unfortunately their environmental persistence means that PCBs continue to enter the human food chain.
- What is more, the validity of the continued confinement depends upon the persistence of such a disorder.
- Might there be a universal selective benefit that could explain the evolutionary persistence of introns?
Derivatives
persistency
/ noun ...- Tenacity and persistency is what I would call their game characteristic, sprinkled with luck, yes.
- There was a persistency to his nature, a sort of dogged determination that she would have admired if it didn't grate her so.
- Poor persistency and variable production are challenges.
Origin
Mid 16th century: from French persistance, from the verb persister; influenced in spelling by Latin persistent- 'continuing steadfastly'.