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; see 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

"But in terms of neuroscience, we still don't know whether the brain has resilience or resistance to this supplement. That's why ours is the first such study in the field."

From Science Daily • Apr. 26, 2026

Canadians’ retail spending rebounded during the first quarter, highlighting consumer resilience that is likely to be tested by a jump in fuel costs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

The resilience Simpson demonstrated, the ability to “stay the course, to go through some different challenging adversities,” impressed McVay.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026

"But Iran has also proven its ability to withstand huge oil-revenue declines during previous rounds of sanctions. I would not underestimate the regime's resilience in this regard," he added.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

There is another definition in which resilience means the ability to recover easily from adversity.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

Related Words

• flexibility