› lasting for a long time or difficult to get rid of:
Symptoms of the illness include a high temperature and a persistent dry cough.
There have been persistent rumours that the principal might take early retirement.
C2 Someone who is persistent continues doing something or tries to do something in a determined but often unreasonable way:
Be persistent - don't give up.
She is a persistent offender and has been arrested five times this year for shoplifting.
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