Insists

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈsɪsts/

Definitions

1. To assert a viewpoint or request with persistent determination, regardless of contrary opinions or resistance
2. To assert a belief or request with unwavering firmness, often disregarding opposition or contrary views
3. To make a firm and continuous demand or statement, not yielding to disagreement

Etymology: "Insists" is the third-person singular present form of "insist," so its history is that of the verb itself. The verb reached English partly through Middle French "insister," which came from Latin "īnsistere," meaning to stand upon or to press on with something. That physical image of planting one's feet on a spot is the root of the modern sense: someone who insists is standing firm on a point and refusing to move. English also has a second, partly separate route. The verb is partly a back-formation from "insistence," meaning the verb was in part created by working backward from the noun, a common way English produces new verbs. The two strands merged, so today the verb carries both the Latin sense of pressing on and the later English sense of stubborn repetition.

Synonyms: demands, asserts, urges

Antonyms: relinquishes, submits