resist

American  

[ri-zist] / rɪˈzɪst /

verb (used with object)

• resists,
  present (3rd person singular)
• resisted,
  past participle,  past
• resisting
  present participle

1. to withstand, strive against, or oppose.

   to resist infection; to resist temptation.

   Synonyms:

   rebuff, counteract, confront

2. to withstand the action or effect of.

   to resist spoilage.

3. to refrain or abstain from, especially with difficulty or reluctance.

   They couldn't resist the chocolates.

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verb (used without object)

• resists,
  present (3rd person singular)
• resisted,
  past participle,  past
• resisting
  present participle

1. to make a stand or make efforts in opposition; act in opposition; offer resistance.

noun

1. a substance that prevents or inhibits some effect from taking place, as a coating on a surface of a metallic printing plate that prevents or inhibits corrosion of the metal by acid.

2. Textiles. a chemically inert substance used in resist printing.

resist British  

/ rɪˈzɪst /

verb

1. to stand firm (against); not yield (to); fight (against)

2. (tr) to withstand the deleterious action of; be proof against

   to resist corrosion

3. (tr) to oppose; refuse to accept or comply with

   to resist arrest

   to resist the introduction of new technology

4. (tr) to refrain from, esp in spite of temptation (esp in the phrases cannot or could not resist ( something ))

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noun

1. a substance used to protect something, esp a coating that prevents corrosion

Synonym Usage

See oppose.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• resister
  noun
• resistibility
  noun
• interresist
  verb
• overresist
  verb
• nonresisting
  adjective
• quasi-resisted
  adjective
• resistible
  adjective
• unresisted
  adjective
• unresisting
  adjective
• resistibly
  adverb
• resistingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• resisting
  present
• resisted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• resist
  simple
• resists
  simple
• have resisted
  perfect
• has resisted
  perfect
• am resisting
  progressive
• are resisting
  progressive
• is resisting
  progressive
• have been resisting
  perfect progressive
• has been resisting
  perfect progressive

Past

• resisted
  simple
• had resisted
  perfect
• was resisting
  progressive
• were resisting
  progressive
• had been resisting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will resist
  simple
• will have resisted
  perfect
• will be resisting
  progressive
• will have been resisting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of resist

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English resisten (verb), from Latin resistere “to remain standing,” equivalent to re- “again, back” + sistere “to cause to stand,” akin to stāre “to stand”; see origin at re-, stand

Explanation

To resist something is to keep it at bay or to fend off its influence or advance. You might not be able to resist the temptation to sneak out to the dance in spite of your parents' objections. The verb resist comes from the Latin word resistere, meaning “to take a stand,” or “withstand.” People who are able to put up a wall — be it mental, physical, philosophical, emotional, or otherwise — to defend themselves or their group against a threat can be said to resist. The Amish community is still able to resist the influence of technology. Many a child will resist the suggestion to use a napkin. You might resist a second helping of pie.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

resist resists resisted resisting

Really, what writer, no matter how detached from their past, could resist that kind of sweet talk?

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

But the country’s rulers are taking time-tested steps to keep their chronically battered economy functioning just enough to resist a drawn-out campaign.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Together, the two layers allow the steel to resist corrosion in chloride containing environments at potentials reaching 1700 mV.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

But it’s precisely that experience, and that of my wife, who was an actual world-class athlete, that helps me resist the temptation to go the path of data overload with our two daughters.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

The Incorrigible children already knew this, but Lord Fredrick Ashton had not had the same careful training in how to resist temptation.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Roberts’ opinion for the court, despite being well-written and legally correct, resists critiquing the original order with the forcefulness this issue deserves.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

The human personality resists easy analysis — that is surely one of Aviv’s takeaways.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

The goal: to build digital ecosystems that ensure Europe retains control over services and data, and resists foreign interference.

From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026

She resists, preferring to forget the intense physical and emotional pain of her life, but is lured by her longing to paint again.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026

It resists, but now I want it off.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

This approach allowed immunotherapy to work against tumors that had previously resisted treatment.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

Burbank locals have resisted growth in the past, said real estate consultant Chris Baer of Avison Young.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

Warsh has vowed to reduce inflation, but so far he’s resisted a rate hike.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

The latest round of talks in Rome ended without a breakthrough, as Israel resisted Lebanese requests to hand back more villages.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Rabbis resisted by conducting services on Jewish holy days.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

Bangladesh is resisting Indian efforts to return alleged illegal migrants forcibly across the roughly 2,500-mile boundary between the two countries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

The bottom line: Give Cook credit for resisting the many calls over the last 15 years to respond to the latest fashion on Wall Street.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 2, 2026

Long criticized for falling behind in the AI race, Apple is now being rewarded by Wall Street for resisting the vast investments its big tech rivals have poured into chips and data centers.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, who chairs the committee, said that during the police operation in Cape Town last Thursday "some foreign nationals... were resisting law enforcement operations".

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

“Nod if you understand,” she whispered to Lazlo, and she hated every syllable, and hated herself for not resisting, but there was no resisting.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Related Words

• abide
• combat
• confront
• continue
• curb
• defy
• endure
• forgo
• maintain
• prevent
• refuse
• repel
• thwart
• turn down