persistent

What it means

1. Obstinately refusing to give up or let go.

   She has had a persistent cough for weeks.

   1 more example

   The most persistent tormentor was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who scored a hat-trick in last month’s corresponding fixture in Iceland. His ability to run at defences is instantly striking, but it is his clever use of possession that has persuaded some shrewd judges that he is an even better prospect than Theo Walcott.

   2011 November 10, Jeremy Wilson, “England Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report”, in Telegraph

2. Insistently repetitive.

   There was a persistent knocking on the door.

3. Indefinitely continuous.

   There have been persistent rumours for years.

   1 more example

   Although many individuals seek meaningful social connection, they face persistent barriers to sustaining relationships, including communication difficulties, social rejection, loneliness, and limited social opportunities (Elmose, 2019; Mendelson et al., 2016; Sosnowy et al., 2019). The gap between social motivation and real-life opportunities for social interaction may contribute to persistent social isolation in this population.

   2025 August 13, Müjdat Erarkadaş, Kübra Özmeral Erarkadaş, Şahika Gülen Şişmanlar, “Autism Spectrum Disorder Beyond Childhood: A Comprehensive Assessment of Activities of Daily Living and Social Functioning in Turkish Adults”, in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, →DOI

In a sentence

She has had a persistent cough for weeks.

Where it comes from

1. Latinpersistentem
2. Englishpersistent

From Latin persistentem, present participle of persistō (“continue steadfastly”). By surface analysis, persist + -ent.