insistence

I1N1S1I1S1T1E1N1C3E1
/ɪnˈsɪs.təns/India/ˈɪn.sɪs.ʈens/

noun

The state of being insistent.

Less commonScrabble 12

Meanings

nouninsistence (countable and uncountable, plural insistences)

plural insistences

  1. countableuncountableThe state of being insistent.

    He made gourd-rattles (known in ever so many parts of the world) in which he rattled dried seeds or small pebbles with a most beguiling and rain-like insistence[.]

    1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 72
    1 more example

    The extreme depth of these channels, and the insistence of the Board of Trade on a headway of 150 ft. for the unrestricted passage of large ships, necessitated a high bridge with two main spans, and a central pier on Inchgarvie.

    1950 March, H. A. Vallance, “On Foot Across the Forth Bridge”, in Railway Magazine, page 147
  2. countableuncountableAn urgent demand.
  3. countableuncountablefencingThe forcing of an attack through the parry, using strength.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouncontinual and persistent demands

Similar
Broader

nounthe state of demanding notice or attention

Broader

nounthe act of insisting on something

Similar

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Old Frenchinsister“to insist”
  2. Middle Englishinsistence
  3. Englishinsistence

From Middle English insistence, derived from Old French insister (“to insist”). Compare Middle French insistance. Morphologically insist + -ence.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian настойчивост, изискване
  • настойчивост (nastojčivost)state of being insistent
  • изискване (iziskvane)urgent demand
Catalan insistència, insistència
  • insistènciastate of being insistent
  • insistènciaurgent demand
Czech neústupnost, neodbytnost
  • neústupnoststate of being insistent
  • neodbytnoststate of being insistent
  • naléháníurgent demand
  • vyžadováníurgent demand
  • domáhání seurgent demand
Finnish hellittämättömyys, itsepintaisuus
  • hellittämättömyysstate of being insistent
  • itsepintaisuusstate of being insistent
  • vaatimusurgent demand
French insistance
  • insistancestate of being insistent
German Beharrlichkeit, Insistenz
  • Beharrlichkeitstate of being insistent
  • Insistenzstate of being insistent
  • Eindringlichkeitstate of being insistent
  • Dringlichkeiturgent demand
Greek επιμονή
  • επιμονή (epimoní)state of being insistent
Italian insistenza
  • insistenzastate of being insistent
Portuguese insistência
  • insistênciastate of being insistent
Romanian insistență
  • insistențăstate of being insistent
Russian насто́йчивость
  • насто́йчивость (nastójčivostʹ)state of being insistent
Spanish insistencia, insistencia
  • insistenciastate of being insistent
  • insistenciaurgent demand
Ukrainian наполе́гливість, насті́йність
  • наполе́гливість (napoléhlyvistʹ)state of being insistent
  • насті́йність (nastíjnistʹ)state of being insistent
  • насті́йливість (nastíjlyvistʹ)state of being insistent
  • наполяга́ння (napoljahánnja)urgent demand

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with insistence

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

insistence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/insistence

MLA

“insistence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/insistence. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “insistence,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/insistence.

Source: insistence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.