adjective

enduring

/ɪnˈdjʊərɪŋ/ · say it: in·DYUR·ing

lasting over a long period

In Describing & Comparing

In more detail

1. (adjective) lasting for a long time; permanent or continuing

2. (adjective) able to suffer or bear something difficult without complaining

Examples

1. Their enduring friendship has lasted more than 50 years.
2. She showed enduring patience while waiting for the results.

How to use enduring

Enduring as an adjective typically describes something that persists over time without significant change or deterioration, emphasizing constancy rather than mere survival. It carries a positive or neutral connotation and often appears in formal or literary contexts. The second sense (patient, tolerant) is less common in modern English than the first.

Common phrases

enduring appeal
enduring relationship
enduring legacy
enduring challenge
enduring love
enduring values

Synonyms

lasting · permanent · durable · persistent · long-lasting

Opposites

temporary · fleeting · short-lived

Word family

endure (verb) · endurance (noun) · enduringly (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse enduring with endangered, or use it to mean 'suffering through' rather than 'lasting through'—enduring describes the quality of persistence, not the act of putting up with hardship.

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