EN

Synonyms for continue

40 synonyms
15 antonyms
4 meanings

verb

Most common

remain keep keep on stay extend run go on preserve

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Proceed with, to prolong

remain, keep, keep on, stay, maintain, hold, endure, perpetuate, persist, keep up, last, stay on, sustain, hold on, retain, hold out, stand, live, exist, prolong, stick, bide

2. Extend — to proceed with (doing an activity); to prolong (an activity)

extend, run, run on, lengthen, drive, protract

3. Proceed — to resume

go on, proceed, go along, move ahead, resume

4. Preserve

preserve, uphold, bear on

Other

get on with, prosecute, cover, pursue dated

Antonyms

stop, discontinue, end

All antonyms of continue →

Definitions

v. 1
To proceed with (doing an activity); to prolong (an activity).
Do you want me to continue to unload these?
v. 2
To resume.
When will the concert continue?
v. 3
To make last; to prolong.
Can you account him wise or discreet that would willingly have his health, and yet will do nothing that should procure or continue it?
v. 4
To retain (someone or something) in a given state, position, etc.

Related words

Word family: continual continually continuant continuation continuative continuity continuous continuously

Forms

Past participle: continued
e.g. continued → remained, stayed, maintained, endured…

Choose the right word

Continue, Protract or Continued?

Protract has usually an unfavorable sense, implying that the matter referred to is already unduly long, or would be so if longer continued; continue is neutral, applying equally to the desirable or the undesirable.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

keep The cold weather may keep the plants from budding.
remain No visitor can remain in the hospital after 9 p.m.
maintain Algeria is determined to maintain its sovereignty.
extend I want to extend my stay here for a few more days.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
continue		steady
keep		rising
remain		steady
maintain		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: run¹
4 letters: last¹, keep¹, live¹, stay¹, hold¹, bide¹
5 letters: stand¹, drive¹, cover², stick¹, exist²
6 letters: remain², extend², pursue², retain², resume², endure², uphold²
7 letters: proceed², sustain², persist², prolong²
8 letters: maintain², preserve², lengthen², protract²
9 letters: prosecute³
10 letters: perpetuate⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (cover² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: continuer
Italiano: continuare
Español: continuar
Deutsch: fortfahren
Català: continuar