1. to repeat or continue an action, thought, or utterance persistently and often inappropriately
Usage: psychology; third person singular present

Examples

• The patient perseverates on the same word despite attempts to redirect the conversation.
• When stressed, she perseverates on negative thoughts and cannot move past them.
• The child perseverates with the same drawing motion even after the task changes.
• He perseverates on details that are no longer relevant to the discussion.
• The stroke patient perseverates when trying to name objects, repeating the first word that comes to mind.
• During the cognitive test, she perseverates on previous answers instead of responding to new questions.