Other forms: persevered, persevering, perseveres
To persevere is to keep trying despite every setback. Persevere with it, persevered for years, she persevered.
The setbacks are part of the definition — persevering without difficulty is just continuing — and the word carries admiration. It takes with or in. Note perseverance, which research on achievement has made a fashionable virtue; and that the Latin means to be very strict or earnest throughout.
1verbpersevereTo keep trying despite every setback.
“She failed her driving test twice but persevered and passed on the third try.”
persevere is a persisting.
Also accepted in games: persist
Latin perseverare is per plus severus, strict or earnest. Severe comes from the same earnestness.
Latin
persevērō — to continue steadfastly, persist, persevere
Old French
perseverer
Middle English
perseveren
English, today
persevere
Built from
From Middle English perseveren, from Old French perseverer, from Latin persevērō (“to continue steadfastly, persist, persevere”), from perseverus (“very strict or earnest”), from per (“through, by the means of”) + severus (“strict, earnest”). a doublet of perseverate.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA