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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Other Word Forms

• nonresilience noun
• nonresiliency noun

Etymology

Origin of resilience

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

Example Sentences

"We face this disaster with resilience and solidarity," he continued.

From BBC

Together, these features highlight the cultural diversity and long-term resilience of the people who developed them.

From Science Daily

She said: "I was clear that I wanted to build up that resilience and that is why I took those decisions to get that headroom up to £21.7bn."

From BBC

“This is an issue that jeopardizes the reliability, resilience and public safety of our communications infrastructure.”

From The Wall Street Journal

It was the resilience and character he demonstrated while trying to make it that fans admired.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• flexibility