Meaning & use
insister
Last updated
UK/ɪnˈsɪstə/
US/ɪnˈsɪstər/
Meaning
nouncountable
A person who keeps demanding something or refuses to change their mind.
Grammar: Countable: use 'an insister' or 'insisters'.
Patterns
- an insister on something
- a real insister
She was the main insister on getting a written contract.
He can be a bit of an insister when he thinks he's right.
The insisters in the group would not let the topic drop.
Word forms
| plural | insisters |
|---|
Common combinations
- an insister on
- He is an insister on strict rules.
- a real insister
- My aunt is a real insister about being on time.
- the main insister
- She was the main insister for the change.
Synonyms and how they differ
- persister
- A persister keeps going despite difficulty, while an insister keeps demanding or asserting.
- demander
- A demander asks forcefully for something, often more direct than an insister.
Opposites
yielder
Word family
- insist verb
- To say firmly that something must happen or is true.
- insistence noun
- The act of demanding or stating firmly.
- insistent adjective
- Demanding attention or refusing to be refused.
Commonly confused: insister or in sister?
insister vs in sister
This is not a word; it is the phrase 'in sister' (e.g., 'in sister cities').
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The noun 'insister' is followed by 'on' plus a noun or -ing form: 'an insister on following the rules.' The other prepositions do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
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