Persevere — Meaning, Definition & Examples

Definition

1. To continue making an effort to do or achieve something, even when it is difficult or takes a long time.
2. To continue to exist despite a difficult or changing situation.

Context Alive

The first few months of learning guitar were painful and frustrating. His fingers hurt and nothing sounded right. But he decided to persevere through the difficult early stage, and after six months he could finally play his favorite songs.

Meanings

2 meanings

1 To Keep Trying Despite Difficulty (Verb) Very Common ▼

This meaning is about continuing to push forward when things are hard. Imagine you’re learning to swim as an adult. You swallow water, feel embarrassed, and want to quit every lesson. But you persevere because you promised yourself you’d learn. This is refusing to give up on something that matters to you. You might persevere with a difficult project at work, or a student could persevere through a challenging exam period. Or picture someone who keeps applying for jobs after dozens of rejections, believing the right one will come. The word carries a sense of quiet strength and determination. ✏️ Persevere often pairs with “with” or “in” — you persevere with something or persevere in doing something.

Vivid Example

Everyone told her the business idea would never work. But she chose to persevere through every setback and rejection she faced. Two years later, her company was turning a profit and growing faster than anyone expected.

2 To Continue to Exist Despite Challenges (Verb) Less Common ▼

This meaning is about something surviving through difficult times. Imagine a tiny bookshop on a quiet street that has been there for fifty years. Big chains opened nearby, online shopping took over, but somehow the shop persevered through it all. This is using persevere to describe something that endures and refuses to disappear. You might say “the tradition has persevered for centuries” or “their friendship persevered despite the distance.” Or think about a small village that persevered through floods, drought, and economic hardship without losing its spirit. The word suggests a quiet, steady survival against the odds. ✏️ This meaning is about things, places, or bonds lasting — not about a person trying hard, but about something enduring over time.

Vivid Example

The old café had survived two world wars and a major earthquake. Somehow it persevered while everything around it changed beyond recognition. Locals still gathered there every morning, proud that this little piece of history was still standing.

Examples from the Street

“She persevered through two years of chemotherapy and came out the other side stronger.”

She kept fighting through an incredibly difficult treatment and survived it with even more inner strength

“You just have to persevere — the first few months are always the hardest.”

You simply need to keep going and not quit — the beginning is always the worst part

“He persevered despite everyone telling him it was a waste of time.”

He carried on regardless, even though nobody believed in what he was doing

Common Patterns

persevere with something → keep working on something difficult without giving up

persevere through/despite/in spite of (something) → continue even when facing serious obstacles

have to/need to/must persevere → there’s no shortcut — continuing is the only option

just/simply persevere → keep going without overthinking it

continue to persevere → maintain the effort over an extended period

manage to persevere → succeed in keeping going despite the temptation to quit

persevere in your/their efforts → keep trying without abandoning your attempts

persevere against/in the face of (adversity/odds) → keep going when the situation is stacked against you

persevere until/to the end → keep going all the way to completion

encourage/urge somebody to persevere → motivate someone to continue when they want to stop

those who persevere → people who refuse to give up (often followed by a reward)

Collocations

3 collocations

persevere through

keep going despite difficulties

persevere in the face of

continue effort despite opposition

encourage someone to persevere

motivate a person to keep trying

Example Sentences

12 examples

1

She persevered with her PhD even after her funding was cut halfway through

She kept working on her doctoral research even after her financial support was taken away in the middle of the programme.

2

The team persevered through an incredibly difficult season and still made the playoffs

The squad kept fighting through a brutally tough run of matches and still qualified for the knockout rounds.

3

If you want to learn the piano, you just have to persevere — it gets easier after the first few months

If you want to play keyboard instruments, you simply need to keep at it — things start to feel more natural once the early period is behind you.

4

Very few athletes manage to persevere after a career-threatening injury

Only a small number of sportspeople succeed in continuing their careers after suffering damage that could have ended everything.

5

My grandmother always said that those who persevere are the ones who succeed

My father’s mother always told us that the people who refuse to quit are the ones who eventually achieve what they set out to do.

6

He persevered against all the odds and built a business from nothing

He kept going despite everything being stacked against him and created a successful company starting with zero resources.

7

I wanted to quit a hundred times, but something inside me told me to persevere

I felt like giving up over and over again, but some inner voice kept pushing me to carry on.

8

The charity persevered in its efforts to raise awareness despite receiving very little media attention

The organisation kept trying to spread its message even though almost no news outlets were covering what they were doing.

9

Her teacher encouraged her to persevere when she wanted to drop out of the advanced class

Her instructor motivated her to keep going when she was on the verge of leaving the higher-level group.

10

We persevered until the end, and when the results came in, it had all been worth it

We kept going right to the finish, and once the outcome was announced, every bit of the struggle proved to have been worthwhile.

Learner Examples

★

If you persevere with daily speaking practice — even when it feels embarrassing — your fluency will improve faster than you expect

If you keep doing oral exercises every single day — even when it feels awkward — your ability to communicate naturally will develop more quickly than you imagine.

★

The best language learners are those who persevere through the frustrating plateau stage when it feels like they’ve stopped making any progress at all

The most successful students of any language are the ones who keep going during the discouraging flat period when it seems as though all improvement has completely stalled.

Phrasal Verbs & Idioms

0 items

Synonyms & Antonyms

6 items

Synonyms

persist

keep going

not stop

push through

overcome obstacles

endure

bear difficulty

Antonyms

give up

stop trying

quit

abandon effort