continue
Americanverb (used without object)
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to go on after suspension or interruption.
The program continued after an intermission.
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to go on or keep on, as in some course or action; extend.
The road continues for three miles.
- Antonyms:
- cease
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to last or endure.
The strike continued for two months.
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to remain in a particular state or capacity.
The general agreed to continue in command of the army.
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to remain in a place; abide; stay.
Let us continue in this house forever.
verb (used with object)
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to go on with or persist in.
to continue an action.
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to carry on from the point of suspension or interruption.
He continued the concert after the latecomers were seated.
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to extend from one point to another in space; prolong.
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to say in continuation.
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to cause to last or endure; maintain or retain, as in a position.
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to carry over, postpone, or adjourn; keep pending, as a legal proceeding.
verb
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(when tr, may take an infinitive) to remain or cause to remain in a particular condition, capacity, or place
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(when tr, may take an infinitive) to carry on uninterruptedly (a course of action); persist in (something)
he continued running
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(when tr, may take an infinitive) to resume after an interruption
we'll continue after lunch
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to draw out or be drawn out; prolong or be prolonged
continue the chord until it meets the tangent
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(tr) law to postpone or adjourn (legal proceedings)
Usage
Where does continue come from? Continue entered English around 1300–50. Coming into English through French, continue ultimately comes from the Latin continuāre, meaning “to make all one, join together, connect.” This verb could also mean, much like its English derivative, “to carry on, draw out, prolong, last”—that is, to continue. The Latin verb continuāre is formed from the adjective continuus. Does continuus look familiar? It’s the direct source of the English continuous, meaning “uninterrupted in time; without cessation” or “being in immediate connection or spatial relationship.”The Latin adjective continuus meant “uninterrupted, unbroken, continuous.” That’s right: continuus meant, well, continuous. Sometimes, there is a great a deal of continuity in word development. But we’re not done yet. The Latin continuus is itself ultimately based on another verb, continēre, “to hold or keep together.” So, something that continues—that is, it goes on, keeps on, or endures in some way—stays all held together, in an etymological manner of speaking. Dig deeperWe noted above that continue is ultimately connected to continēre, “to hold together.” Continēre is the source of some other familiar English words, including contain, continent, and content. Does knowing that all these words come from a verb meaning “to hold together” give you any deeper insights into these words?For all this talk of holding things together, we can, er, continue breaking apart the roots of the Latin verb continēre. It is composed of con-, a productive prefix with the sense of “with, together,” and tenēre, “to hold.”Derivations of tenēre appears in a great many English words, including detain, detention, entertain, tenacious, tenant, tenet, retain, retention, sustain, and sustenance. But don’t be fooled. While detain is related to detention and retain to retention, contain is not related to contention, or “strife, contest, controversy.” Contention is derived from the same Latin root that gives English contend.
Related Words
Continue, endure, persist, persevere, last, remain imply existing uninterruptedly for an appreciable length of time. Continue implies duration or existence without break or interruption. Endure, used of people or things, implies persistent continuance against influences that tend to weaken, undermine, or destroy. Persist and persevere, used principally of people, both imply firm and steadfast continuance in the face of opposition. Persist suggests human opposition: He persisted after he had been warned; and persevere suggests opposition from any source, often an impersonal one: He persevered despite fatigue. Last often applies to something that holds out to a desired end, fresh, unimpaired, or unexhausted, sometimes under conditions that tend to produce the opposite effect: They had provisions enough to last all winter. Remain is especially applied to what continues without change in its essential state: He remained a bachelor.
Other Word Forms
- continuable adjective
- continuer noun
- continuingly adverb
- noncontinuable adjective
- noncontinuably adverb
Etymology
Origin of continue
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin continuāre “to make all one,” verbal derivative of continuus continuous
Explanation
To continue an activity is to keep it going, either with or without interruption. If you ask the newspaper to continue delivering your paper while you are on vacation, you want to receive all the news while you’re away. The verb continue is related to the word continuous, from the Latin word continuare, meaning “join together” or “connect.” When anything goes on without a break, like the middle school variety show, it continues, uninterrupted. You can also continue something that was paused or set aside. You could, for instance, continue watching the movie that you paused when the pizza was delivered and then continue to drive your parents crazy by texting your friends while watching the movie with them.
Vocabulary lists containing continue
"The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet"
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"Zlateh the Goat"
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"A Conflict Close to Home"
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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.
Schwab’s Teen Investor lets the joint account continue until 21, though the teen can open an individual account and transfer the assets at 18.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
If past states continue to influence what happens next, the system is said to have memory.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
“Even in challenging moments, you continue to demonstrate what makes Disney so special.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
"We would politely ask people continue to respect their privacy."
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
“Come on. We can buy some cars like that when we get our first big record deal,” Dalton tells Awesiinh, and we continue walking.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
