persevere
To keep trying even when something is difficult.
persevere in a sentence
- Lena fell off the bike nine times, but she persevered and rode it perfectly on the tenth.
- Even when the jigsaw seemed impossible, Dad told us to persevere and try one more piece.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to persevere?
- Arest
- Bpersist
- Cquit
- Dstop
Show the answer
B: persist. The other three mean the opposite of persevere.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to persevere?
- Apersist
- Bcontinue
- Cquit
- Dtry
Show the answer
C: quit. The other three mean nearly the same as persevere.
Words that mean something similar
persist, continue, try
Words that mean the opposite
quit, stop, rest
More words about character & personality
- persist: To keep trying and refuse to give up.
- petty: Small and unimportant, or mean about little things.
- pioneer: Someone who is one of the first to explore a place or try something new.
- placid: Calm and not easily upset or excited.
- pluck: The courage to do something scary.
- poised: Calm, steady and ready to act.
- pompous: Acting too grand and important.
- prudent: Careful and sensible, thinking ahead before you act.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test