resilient
Americanadjective
-
(of an object or material) capable of regaining its original shape or position after bending, stretching, compression, or other deformation; elastic
-
(of a person) recovering easily and quickly from shock, illness, hardship, etc; irrepressible
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of resilient
First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin resilient-, stem of resiliēns, present participle of resilīre “to spring back,” equivalent to re- re- + -sil-, combining form of salīre “to leap, jump”; see salient
Explanation
When something is strong and able to recover from damage quickly, call it resilient. If you're rough on your toys, the ones that don't break are resilient. Formed from the Latin verb resilire, "to leap back," a resilient person is able to recover from an illness or a bad experience quickly. Politicians who are resilient to media criticism do not let critical journalists affect their focus, performance, or relationship to their constituents. An object that is bent or stretched and returns to its original shape quickly is also resilient.
Vocabulary lists containing resilient
"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury
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"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
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Things Fall Apart
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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.
Meanwhile, the aerospace business is likely to be supported by resilient global aviation demand, rising aircraft orders and a record industry backlog, she adds.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
“And what’s driving this, generally speaking, is the American consumer, still resilient, still spending,” said Gene Seroka, port executive director, during a news conference.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
Those figures are nearly the same as the current analyst consensus and are based on an assumption that the U.S. economy will remain resilient.
From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026
McLaughlin hopes the designations will allow the trust to make its nature reserves "more resilient to the ravages of climate change" by restoring habitats and creating wildlife corridors beyond the boundaries of the reserves.
From BBC • May 9, 2026
But the Navajo proved especially resilient and able to deal selectively with innovation.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
