endurance
Americannoun
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the fact or power of enduring or bearing pain, hardships, etc.
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the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina.
He has amazing physical endurance.
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lasting quality; duration.
His friendships have little endurance.
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something endured, as a hardship; trial.
noun
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the capacity, state, or an instance of enduring
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something endured; a hardship, strain, or privation
Related Words
See patience.
Etymology
Origin of endurance
Explanation
Endurance is the power to withstand something challenging. If you decide to run a marathon, you will need lots of endurance to run over 26 miles. The noun endurance contains endure, which means "to suffer or undergo" and the suffix -ance means "the state of." It can be used to describe the physical strength to keep going, as in a marathon or giving birth, but it can also be used when discussing an exhausting mental situation or stressful time — the endurance to bounce back from heartbreak, perhaps.
Vocabulary lists containing endurance
Vocabulary of the Summer Olympics
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Excerpt from "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Four-time Formula 1 champion Verstappen, who is due to participate in the 24-hour endurance race in May, sent his condolences on social media.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
He competed in the American Le Mans Series GTC class, drove in 24-hour races at Daytona and won multiple Porsche Owners Club endurance races.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
For example, it can reduce the benefits of endurance training and negatively affect athletic performance.
From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026
In a moment when partisanship dominates coverage, his passing invites reflection on the role of law, accountability, and the endurance of civic norms.
From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026
His extreme endurance also impressed the cowboys, especially when he rode hundreds of miles, spending all day and night in the saddle, without complaint.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
