insistent

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Firmly and repeatedly saying that something must happen, and refusing to give way.

   Grammar: Often followed by on: insistent on doing it.

   Patterns

   • insistent on something
   • insistent that someone do something

   She was insistent on paying for dinner.

   He remained insistent that the plan would work.

   The insistent customer would not leave until he saw the manager.

2. 2adjectivecomparable

   Continuing in a way that demands attention and is hard to ignore.

   Grammar: Often describes sounds: an insistent ring.

   Patterns

   • insistent noise

   The insistent ringing of the phone woke him.

   An insistent knocking came from the door.

   She felt an insistent need to be outdoors.

Word forms

Common combinations

insistent demands

The insistent demands of the crowd were impossible to ignore.

insistent tone

She spoke in an insistent tone.

insistent rhythm

The drum kept an insistent rhythm.

become more insistent

The knocking became more insistent.

insistent on

He was insistent on leaving early.

Synonyms and how they differ

persistent

Persistent suggests refusing to give up over time, while insistent focuses on firmly demanding something.

adamant

Adamant means unshakably certain and does not need repeated demands.

demanding

Demanding describes asking a lot, whereas insistent adds the idea of repetition.

pressing

Pressing describes urgent things rather than the people pushing for them.

Opposites

Word family

insist verb

to say firmly that something is true or must happen

insistence noun

the act of insisting

insistently adverb

in a firm, repeated way

Commonly confused: insistent or persistent?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “insistent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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