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

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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

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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

Investors should also resist reading it as a promise of 40% lower costs.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

But Tatiana couldn’t resist one indulgence: In a folder, she placed a lock of baby hair that she kept from Alisa and Stupnikov’s infancy, as well as some old photos and his high school certificate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

In fact, it feels like Michaels is trying to prove to everyone that he was right to resist firing Gillis, a decision he clearly regrets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

Rights group Amnesty International urged countries to "resist" the move, saying the sanctions were "designed to isolate and ultimately destroy" the court.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

“One,” Cassiopeia squeaked, for although she was frightened, she could never resist a math problem.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Viscosity describes how strongly a fluid resists flowing.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

The father resists but the son is now curious.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Indeed, one of the striking features of the majority opinion is how persistently it resists artificial distinctions.

From Slate ● Jun. 29, 2026

But the English group’s slippery music resists stylistic classification.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

I want to move higher into the woods, climb a good tree, and make camp for the night, but Peeta resists.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Americans have long resisted a tax on wealth.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Binghamton largely resisted the effects of the depression.

From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026

"Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster," Netanyahu wrote on X.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

The Michigan Board of Regents so far has resisted such moves, even though the idea floated at the Ellisons’ home last spring was to keep the quasi-independent entity under school control.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Bond market investors, like bond market traders, viscerally resisted any trade that they had to pay money to be in, and instinctively sought out trades that paid them just for showing up in the morning.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

There’s a gravitational pull that we’ve been resisting ever since we made the president a big role, and then placed one of our leads in the role of vice president.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

They also reported poorer sleep, a stronger desire for continuous stimulation, and greater difficulty resisting the urge to immediately check their phones or act on impulses.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

The individual, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there were "small pockets of the enemy forces still resisting and trying to create trouble".

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

The entire Crace clan is resisting Susan’s nosing about, imperiling the brand and jeopardizing the Netflix deal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

The bell rings and I skip out, barely resisting the urge to give Mrs. Newman a hug.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

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Related Words

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

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