Synonym Chooser

How does the verb continue differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of continue are abide, endure, last, and persist. While all these words mean "to exist over a period of time or indefinitely," continue applies to a process going on without ending.

the search for peace will continue

When might abide be a better fit than continue?

While the synonyms abide and continue are close in meaning, abide implies stable and constant existing especially as opposed to mutability.

a love that abides through 40 years of marriage

When could endure be used to replace continue?

Although the words endure and continue have much in common, endure adds an implication of resisting destructive forces or agencies.

in spite of everything, her faith endured

When is it sensible to use last instead of continue?

The words last and continue can be used in similar contexts, but last, especially when unqualified, may stress existing beyond what is normal or expected.

buy shoes that will last

In what contexts can persist take the place of continue?

The synonyms persist and continue are sometimes interchangeable, but persist suggests outlasting the normal or appointed time and often connotes obstinacy or doggedness.

the sense of guilt persisted

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of continue That legacy continues in the show’s 55th season, which launches on Max with Renee Rapp on Jan. 16 and follows with SZA, Noah Kahan, Michael B. Jordan, Samara Joy, Chris Stapleton, Jonathan Van Ness and Billie Jean King joining for songs and other segments. Jem Aswad, Variety, 9 Jan. 2025 The spreading fires in Los Angeles continue to wreak havoc, including ravaging artists and cultural centers. The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 9 Jan. 2025 The Chinese tennis star’s appointment as global ambassador continues Dior’s all-star streak with female athletes. Lily Templeton, WWD, 9 Jan. 2025 Observability Makes Its Mark The observability market also continued to evolve in 2024, largely due to the growing complexity of IT environments, the shift to cloud and microservices architectures and the need for more efficient IT operations. Robert Kramer, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for continue 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for continue
Verb
  • While the potent winds driving the fires to rapidly escalate were expected to die down by Thursday night, the initial causes of all the blazes remain under investigation.
    Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
  • On a year-on-year basis, pork and fresh vegetable prices remain elevated, climbing 12.5%.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Without that, Hamas will almost certainly resume control in the shattered territory after Israeli troops pull out—and this war will have been just one particularly destructive round of fighting, but not the last.
    Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Negotiations dragged on until 3am each night and resumed in the morning after a few hours of sleep, a U.S. official said.
    Barak Ravid, Axios, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • But just as trade along the Silk Roads persisted even during wars, and individuals bypass internet restrictions daily using open-source tools like Tor and VPNs, permissionless crypto networks are inevitable.
    Christian Catalini, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Zoom in: Racial disparities in cancer death rates also persisted, according to the data.
    Tina Reed, Axios, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Rather than reopen as a traditional record shop, Muhammad and Anderson decided to try something new: Transform it into an economic and social anchor for the neighborhood.
    SPIN Staff, SPIN, 9 Jan. 2025
  • According to Murphy, the bomb squad found that the items were harmless, at which point the area was reopened.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • By their nature, periods of volatility don’t tend to last that long before things return to the mean.
    Dev Patnaik, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
  • The Amazon deals won’t last long, so shop quickly to make the most out of these savings.
    Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The denial-of-service attacks ceased minutes before agents first made contact with him, and did not restart after his computer was seized, according to the filing.
    Dan Mangan, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Constellation agreed last year to spend $1.6 billion to restart a nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island near Harrisburg, Pa. — a project for which Microsoft is effectively footing the bill.
    Rebecca F. Elliott, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near continue

Cite this Entry

“Continue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/continue. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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