resilience

American  

[ri-zil-yuhns, -zil-ee-uhns] / rɪˈzɪl yəns, -ˈzɪl i əns /

Also resiliency

noun

1. the power or ability of a material to return to its original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity.

2. the ability of a person to adjust to or recover readily from illness, adversity, major life changes, etc.; buoyancy.

3. the ability of a system or organization to respond to or recover readily from a crisis, disruptive process, etc..

   Cities can build resilience to climate change by investing in infrastructure.

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resilience British  

/ rɪˈzɪlɪəns /

noun

1. Also: resiliency.  the state or quality of being resilient

2. ecology the ability of an ecosystem to return to its original state after being disturbed

3. physics the amount of potential energy stored in an elastic material when deformed

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Other Word Forms

• nonresilience noun
• nonresiliency noun

Etymology

Origin of resilience

First recorded in 1620–30; resili(ent) + -ence

Explanation

Truly, your resilience, or ability to bounce back, is not just admirable, but foolhardy, some might say; who else could have survived an attack by a rabid toucan and then gone on to become a world-renowned bird breeder? The noun resilience stems from the Latin resiliens, “to rebound, recoil.” As a character trait, resilience is a person’s ability to recover quickly from unfortunate circumstances or illness. Runners who fall during a marathon only to pop back up and dash through the finish line show some serious resilience. Or Silly Putty that can stretch and stretch without breaking, and then come back to rest inside its egg-shaped carrying case — that’s resilience, or elasticity, for you.

Example Sentences

It is possibly also the foundation of our future economic resilience, at what is a troubled moment in the global economy.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

“Investors have built confidence in the resilience of earnings, accretion from investment opportunities, and greater free float/liquidity,” says Fromyhr.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

"Because resilience is what gives us control. Without it, we are constantly pushed off course by events beyond our borders."

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

“Activities like swimming lessons, martial arts, gymnastics or music often build discipline, resilience and life skills that matter just as much as future tuition savings,” he noted.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

I admired their resilience, and I wished desperately that they didn’t need it so much.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

• flexibility