resilient

[ri-zil-yuhnt, -zil-ee-uhnt]

adjective

1. springing back; rebounding.

   Synonyms: springy, flexible, elastic

2. returning to the original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched.

3. recovering readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyant.

resilient

/ rɪˈzɪlɪənt /

adjective

1. (of an object or material) capable of regaining its original shape or position after bending, stretching, compression, or other deformation; elastic

2. (of a person) recovering easily and quickly from shock, illness, hardship, etc; irrepressible

Other Word Forms

• resiliently adverb
• nonresilient adjective
• nonresiliently adverb
• unresilient adjective
• unresiliently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of resilient¹

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin resilient-, stem of resiliēns, present participle of resilīre “to spring back,” equivalent to re- re- + -sil-, combining form of salīre “to leap, jump”; salient

Example Sentences

American consumers, the engine of the world's largest economy, have remained resilient in the face of tariffs and economic uncertainty.

From BBC

Indeed, the two countries share a resilient relationship rooted in defence ties - from Pakistani troop deployments in the 1960s to commandos helping quell the 1979 Mecca mosque siege.

From BBC

Momentum continued to swing in the final set, with the resilient Navarro surviving an early scare before the pair exchanged breaks midway through the decider.

From BBC

Crews salvaged much of the original structure but replaced the damaged section with fiber-reinforced polymer in the hope of making the span stronger and more resilient to its unforgiving environment.

From Los Angeles Times

Retail analyst Natalie Berg said Next was "one of the more resilient retailers" but despite the surge in profits, the company was not immune to the "whole Tsunami of costs that have hit the sector".

From BBC

Related Words

• buoyant 
• strong 
• supple 
• tough 
• volatile