insist Hear it!

insist Definition

in·sist (in sist′)

intransitive verb

to take and maintain a stand or make a firm demand: often with on or upon

Etymology: MFr insister < L insistere, to stand on, pursue diligently, persist < in-, in, on + sistere, to stand, redupl. of stare, stand

transitive verb

  1. to demand strongly
  2. to declare firmly or persistently

insist Related Forms
in·sist′er noun in·sist′·ingly adverb
insist Synonyms

insist

v.

  1. To declare firmly or persistently

    maintain, contend, assert, dwell on; see declare 1, emphasize.

  2. To demand

    request, order, exhort; see ask 1, command 1, require 2.

insist Usage Examples

Object

  • yesterday: But Mr Straw insisted yesterday that Mr Campbell was " very talented " and that his posters were " good and effective " .
  • everyone: We are not to be elitists who insist that everyone become a self-conscious scholar in reading the Bible.
  • everything: His manager started telling people at work to avoid him and insisted everything he touched was excessively cleaned.
  • nothing: But the viceroy, Lord Lytton, insisted that nothing should prevent its export to England.
  • someone: Or more precisely, insisted that someone had canceled the reservation for us the day before.

Preposition: on

  • compliance: We must insist on strict compliance with the rules and the tools we already have in place.
  • disarmament: If I took that advice, and did not insist on disarmament, yes, there would be no war.
  • importance: The sort of thinkers who emphasize the ' I-Thou ' kind of thing also insist on the importance of language.
  • unity: As far as can be expressed in words, it reflects Truth, insisting on the unity of the cosmic process.
  • independence: Ethnic Albanians from across the political spectrum in Kosovo still insist on independence.
  • removal: This rejection means that we will decommission UK's own nuclear weapons and insist on the removal of US nuclear bases.

Used with why or when

  • whichever: Have become a insists whichever course the risk beyond of his association's.
  • that: We both insist that should a home not work out or your circumstances change that the animal is returned to us.

Modifying Another Word

  • rightly: The repertoire was all Bach and I thought I needed more experience but my teacher, David Sanger, rightly insisted I do it.
  • obstinately: But Flavilla obstinately insisted on her scaled and fish-tailed costume.
  • repeatedly: But he insisted repeatedly that the real amount of money stolen from the BCM in the 1990s was much more than 14 million dollars.
  • instead: She might very well be, but the film makes the mistake to insist instead of letting the audience find out.
  • always: Moira Gillett, she always insisted on windows being open - even in winter!
  • still: The oldest or cameras of the games two to eu still insists.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • upon: These examples illustrate the point: None of these items are insisted upon in organic Codes.