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to insist

to insist

2.8
Say or demand something firmly and refuse to change your mind
  • verb
  • /ɪnˈsɪst/
translation icon : insistir en
  • Caleb wants Cheerios, and he insists on doing it himself.
  • insist that
  • insist on military action

And none of this ends until we insist on its return.

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Examples

  • Why does he insist upon this so strongly?

  • Michelle had stayed the night with Lee, and Lee insisted on making porridge that morning.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • And none of this ends until we insist on its return.

  • Work there a few years, insist on doing every job.

  • I said no, no, I insist you go ahead.

  • No, if you insist, I'll let you talk to him.

  • If you boys insist on another popular demonstration just say so.

  • You bring charges against General Mireau, so I insist that he answer them.

  • I insist we go on to Lordsburg.

  • I insist that we leave on time for the event.

Synonyms

to assert
vsto insist
229 3.9

To clearly and firmly say your needs or opinions

shows refusal to change rather than only confident declaration
to maintain
vsto insist
163 4.4

Say firmly that something is true

focuses on saying or demanding and refusing to change position
to persist
vsto insist
62 3.7

To keep doing something or keep holding a belief despite difficulty

focuses on saying or demanding firmly at a single moment rather than ongoing action
to stand your ground
vsto insist
  • Informal
25 5.7

To keep your position when others disagree

adds the idea of actively saying or demanding, not just holding position
to stand firm
vsto insist
22 3.7

Keep your decision or opinion when others try to make you change

focuses more on firmly telling others or demanding when they disagree
to hold firm
vsto insist
9 4.5

To refuse to change your opinion or decision despite pressure

is about saying or demanding firmly while refusing to change when challenged
to remain firm
vsto insist
2 4.4

Keep the same decision even when others disagree

is more about saying firmly rather than only holding the choice
to take a firm stand
vsto insist
1 4.4

To state an opinion strongly and refuse to change it when others disagree

is more about saying or demanding the same idea to others

Antonyms

81 4.3

To stop resisting under pressure or force

to relinquish
  • Formal
69 7.2

To give up control, a right, or something you own

How Firm

demand
419 3.1
to persist
62 3.7
to insist
2.8
to press
285 3.9
to request
1.0
to ask
1.0

Surface Forms

insist infinitive
insisted past
insisted past participle
insisting present participle
insists third person singular

Morphology

insist = in + sist

Although historically analyzable as in- + sist, 'sist' is not a productive standalone English word, so learners cannot reliably derive the meaning from the parts.

Etymology

Insist comes from Latin parts in- 'on' and stare 'to stand'. So to insist is like 'standing on' an idea, holding it firmly and refusing to change your mind.