Endure Means to Make Hard
To endure is to withstand something difficult. The Latin root is hard, which is what endurance requires you to become.
To endure is to suffer something patiently, or to last. The Latin *durare* means to harden, from *durus*, hard. To endure is to become hard enough to withstand. The same root gives *durable*, *duration* and, through French, *during* — which was once a participle meaning while something lasts.
- To suffer patiently. *Endure the cold.*
- To last. *A friendship that endured.*
- Endurance — the capacity to last. *Remarkable endurance.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | endure | Endure the wait. |
| Past | endured | She endured it. |
| Noun | endurance | Physical endurance. |
| Adjective | enduring | An enduring image. |
| Related | durable | Durable goods. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The building has endured for centuries.Lasted.
- He endured the criticism in silence.Suffered.
- An endurance event tests stamina.Sport.
Words from *durus*, hard
- Endure — to harden against
- Durable — able to last
- Duration — the length of lasting
- During — while something lasts
- Obdurate — hardened against persuasion
From Old French *endurer*, from Latin *indurare*, to harden, from *in* and *durus*, hard.
Are during and endure related?
Yes. During was once a participle meaning while something lasts, from the same Latin verb.
Endure or tolerate?
Endure implies difficulty sustained over time. Tolerate implies allowing something you dislike.