insist

/ɪnˈsɪst/

//ɪnˈsɪst// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"insist" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“insist” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,798 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#6,798
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
16
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To hold up a claim emphatically.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

insist vs Isis
50% similar
insist vs Inuit
50% similar
insist vs invest
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for insist
PropertyValue
Headwordinsist
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪnˈsɪst/
Letters6
Frequency rank#6,798
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs16
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “insist” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). insist lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for insist is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪnˈsɪst/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,798 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for insist, with forms such as "inisst", "innsist", and "insisst". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 16 confusable-pair relationships, "Isis", "Inuit", "invest", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Partly from Middle French insister, from Latin īnsistere; and partly from a back-formation from insistence. Compare typologically from the same PIE root Bulgarian настоявам (nastojavam), Russian наста́ивать (nastáivatʹ). The correct English form is insist, spelled I-N-S-I-S-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To hold up a claim emphatically.
  2. 2
    To demand continually that something happen or be done; to reiterate a demand despite requests to abandon it.
  3. 3
    To stand (on); to rest (upon); to lean (upon).

Etymology

Partly from Middle French insister, from Latin īnsistere; and partly from a back-formation from insistence. Compare typologically from the same PIE root Bulgarian настоявам (nastojavam), Russian наста́ивать (nastáivatʹ).

This word in other languages

insistir(Español)insister(Français)beharren(Deutsch)insistir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inisst,innsist,insisst,insistt,insits,inssist,inssit,isnist,nisist

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of insist - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

inisst2innsist1insisst1insistt1insits2inssist1inssit2isnist2
Edit distance from "insist"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "insist"?
"insist" is spelled I-N-S-I-S-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈsɪst/.
What does "insist" mean?
As a verb, "insist" means: To hold up a claim emphatically.
What words are commonly confused with "insist"?
"insist" is commonly confused with "Isis", "Inuit", "invest". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "insist"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "insist" is /ɪnˈsɪst/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "insist"?
Partly from Middle French insister, from Latin īnsistere; and partly from a back-formation from insistence. Compare typologically from the same PIE root Bulgarian настоявам (nastojavam), Russian наста́ивать (nastáivatʹ). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “insist”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-S-I-S-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪnˈsɪst/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Isis” - see the side-by-side comparison. insist vs Isis
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list