perseverance

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/ˌpɜːrsəˈvɪrəns/
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Steady effort through difficulty, with a specialized Christian sense of remaining in faith or grace to the end.
Practice using perseverance in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Learning a new language takes patience, practice, and perseverance.
  • The phrase perseverance of the saints appears often in Reformed theology.
  • The team's perseverance showed after they kept training through every loss.
  • The sermon discussed perseverance as remaining in grace to the end.
  • The scientist's perseverance led to a breakthrough after many failed experiments.

Similar words

persistence
endurance
steadfastness
continuance
grit
steadfastness
endurance
faithfulness
final perseverance
resolve

Meanings

Steady effort despite difficulty

noun
everyday
neutral
The quality of continuing toward a goal despite obstacles, failure, fatigue, or discouragement.

Usage

Use perseverance for sustained effort through real difficulty, not for a quick or easy task.

Examples

  • Her perseverance helped her finish the degree while working full time.
  • The team's perseverance showed after they kept training through every loss.
  • Learning a new language takes patience, practice, and perseverance.
  • His perseverance carried him through months of painful recovery.
  • The scientist's perseverance led to a breakthrough after many failed experiments.
  • The novel celebrates the perseverance of families facing hardship.
  • Even after repeated setbacks, their perseverance never wavered.

Common mistakes

The word is often used for brief effort, or treated as a verb instead of a noun.
IncorrectCorrect
She showed perseverance by finishing the easy form in two minutes. She showed perseverance by finishing the project after months of setbacks.
He will perseverance until the race is over. He will persevere until the race is over.
His perseverance was loud and aggressive. His perseverance was steady and determined.
The team needed perseverance for one short meeting. The team needed patience for one short meeting.

Similar words

tenacity
determination
steadfastness
persistence
resolve
grit
endurance

Remaining in grace

noun
religion
technical
In Christian theology, continuance in faith or grace until the end of life, especially as a doctrine about salvation.

Usage

Use perseverance in this sense when discussing Christian doctrine, especially the phrase perseverance of the saints.

Examples

  • The sermon discussed perseverance as remaining in grace to the end.
  • In some Christian traditions, perseverance is linked with assurance of salvation.
  • The debate centered on perseverance and whether true faith can finally fail.
  • A chapter on Calvinism explained the doctrine of perseverance.
  • The theologian distinguished daily perseverance from the final perseverance of believers.
  • For the class, perseverance meant continuance in faith until death.
  • The phrase perseverance of the saints appears often in Reformed theology.

Common mistakes

The theology sense is sometimes confused with ordinary willpower or with the Mars rover named Perseverance.
IncorrectCorrect
The church taught perseverance as a study habit. The church taught perseverance as remaining in grace until the end.
The doctrine of perseverance means never feeling tired. The doctrine of perseverance concerns continuance in faith or grace.
NASA launched perseverance of the saints. NASA launched the Perseverance rover.
Perseverance of the saints is a sports training plan. Perseverance of the saints is a Christian theological doctrine.

Similar words

final perseverance
steadfastness
continuance
faithfulness
endurance

Usage

Use perseverance for effort that continues through difficulty, and reserve the theology sense for Christian doctrinal contexts.

Common mistakes

Quick success is not perseverance unless it involves sustained effort through difficulty.

Etymology

From Middle English perseveraunce, borrowed through Anglo-French and Old French from Latin perseverantia, meaning steadfastness or constancy, from perseverare, to continue steadfastly.

FAQ

What does perseverance mean?

Perseverance means continuing to work toward a goal despite difficulty, failure, or discouragement.

Is perseverance a noun or a verb?

Perseverance is a noun. The verb is persevere.

Is perseverance positive?

Perseverance is usually positive because it suggests steady effort and refusal to give up.

How is perseverance different from persistence?

Perseverance often suggests admirable effort through difficulty, while persistence can be positive or annoying depending on context.

What are synonyms for perseverance?

Useful synonyms include tenacity, determination, steadfastness, persistence, resolve, and grit.

What is the opposite of perseverance?

Opposites include quitting, surrender, abandonment, discouragement, and apathy.

What does perseverance of the saints mean?

Perseverance of the saints is a Christian doctrine about believers continuing in faith or grace to the end.

Where does perseverance come from?

Perseverance comes through French from Latin perseverantia, meaning steadfastness or constancy.

Comments & contributions

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Rustic Hippo
Jul 3
I still type perserverance half the time. too many r sounds floating around
1
Reply
Breezy Bobcat
Jun 28
en español es perseverancia, bastante transparente. nice when English gives us one easy cognate for once
1
Reply
Minty Panda
Jun 21
NASA made this one funny in my house, my kid hears Perseverance and thinks Mars rover first lol
2
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Teal Zebra
Jun 19
perseverance always sounds like a school assembly word to me. In normal chat I'd probably say she stuck with it unless I was writing something serious
3
Reply
Contribution
Breezy Penguin
Jun 19
Careful with perseverate. It is a real verb, but it is not the brave version of persevere. In psychology or therapy talk it means getting stuck repeating or fixating on something, so 'she perseverated through nursing school' sounds very wrong.
12
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