noun. Persistence is continuing to try, an effect that continues even after the cause has been removed or something that sticks around for a long time. 1  An example of persistence is when you try and try to learn a new skill, never giving up.1) In a CRT, the time a phosphor dot remains illuminated after being energized. Long-persistence phosphors reduce flicker, but generate ghost-like images that linger on screen for a fraction of a second. (2) In object technology, the storage of an object on a disk or other permanent storage device.