Persevering

mediumPositive tone

per-suh-VEER-ing

adjective

Definition

Continuing in a course of action despite difficulty or opposition

Memory hook

PERSEVERING through SEVERE challenges — continuing firmly despite difficulty.

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Word roots

perthrough(Latin)
severusstrict/serious(Latin)

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Examples

The persevering athlete eventually won the championship.
Her persevering efforts finally paid off.

Test yourself

Fill in the blank with the right word:

The ______ athlete eventually won the championship.
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persevering

Synonyms

Antonyms

irresolutefickleinconstantwavering

Categories

View all Persistence words

GRE Tip

Persevering is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "tenacious" or "persistent" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "irresolute".

Read: How to Memorize GRE Words That Actually Stick

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