withstand
Americanverb (used with object)
-
withstands,
present (3rd person singular)
-
withstood,
past participle, past
-
withstanding
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
withstands,
present (3rd person singular)
-
withstood,
past participle, past
-
withstanding
present participle
verb
-
(tr) to stand up to forcefully; resist
-
(intr) to remain firm in endurance or opposition
Synonym Usage
See oppose.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
withstandsimple
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withstandssimple
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have withstoodperfect
-
has withstoodperfect
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am withstandingprogressive
-
are withstandingprogressive
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is withstandingprogressive
-
have been withstandingperfect progressive
-
has been withstandingperfect progressive
Past
-
withstoodsimple
-
had withstoodperfect
-
was withstandingprogressive
-
were withstandingprogressive
-
had been withstandingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of withstand
First recorded before 900; Middle English withstanden, Old English withstandan ( see with-, stand); cognate with Old Norse vithstanda; akin to German widerstehen
Explanation
In the story of the three little pigs, only the house made of brick was able to withstand the huffing and puffing of the Big Bad Wolf. To withstand is to hold up against something strong. Withstand means to stand your ground against a powerful and negative force. A lot of toys can withstand rough treatment, but CDs definitely can't. And hopefully, you can withstand the pressures of school and work! If you can withstand a lot of criticism, it means you can take it without giving up.
Vocabulary lists containing withstand
Unit 1: Telling Details
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Scattering straw between vines, known as mulching, is not new, but what has changed is its purpose: from improving general soil health to helping vineyards withstand a warming climate.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
Four iterations later and the contraption is sturdy enough to withstand the full force of Lenny, an 8-year-old Labrador mix.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Investors have been jittery over whether Salesforce can withstand artificial-intelligence disruption, but a J.P.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
But Davari said that for now, Iran can withstand the pressure.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
He wondered if the metal rods could withstand a full-frontal attack from Dozer’s and Petunia’s massive teeth, enormous heads, and vise-grip jaws.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
We have only one path forward: build a more capable American open-weight alternative that withstands attempted jailbreaks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Carpenter offers many advantages to investors seeking companies whose competitive barriers to entry are as resistant as its nickel-based alloy Pyromet 41 External link —which withstands temperatures as high as 1500 degrees Fahrenheit.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
Vanguard released a follow-up report on Wednesday on “How America withstands financial hardships” that takes a deep dive behind the headlines.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 12, 2026
In the days ahead, we'll see if that withstands closer scrutiny.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2025
“Nothing withstands the onslaught of an angry Fflam!”
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
As for the status of the anti-unitarian precedent of Humphrey’s, the court claimed its logic has “not withstood the test of time” and had been effectively undermined for decades.
From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2026
Slaughter, the majority opinion said the “Humphrey’s framework has not withstood the test of time” and the court therefore overrules it.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
The imposing grain silos at Beirut’s port mostly withstood last year’s massive explosion — but now serve as reminders of negligence and destruction.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
He withstood even louder vitriol to grab a crucial half against a spirited DeChambeau fightback in the Bethpage Bearpit at last year's Ryder Cup.
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026
The trees of Deadwood had long withstood the temperamental Afterlife on All Hallows’ Eve.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
But credit Fitzpatrick for withstanding last Sunday's charge from the American four-time major champion.
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026
Critical to withstanding pressure from the Middle East war is a long-term push by Beijing to ensure energy security, which experts say is now bearing fruit.
From Barron's ● Apr. 14, 2026
In the last year, the U.S. economy has seemed to defy gravity, withstanding a chaotic trade war, shocks to the labor supply, and wild swings in the stock market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
Vonn had been unsure what her knee was capable of withstanding but had targeted the downhill as her favoured event while also being entered in the super-G and team events.
From BBC ● Feb. 8, 2026
Many of the microscopic parasites that produced malaria would survive the sublethal dose and produce offspring capable of withstanding a full dose of the medicine.
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
