resilient
Americanadjective
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(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.
Adult Joshua trees are more resilient than seedlings, but they can still succumb to intense heat waves and drought.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Uniper, based in Duesseldorf, welcomed the news, saying it was "now more stable, more resilient, and more clearly positioned strategically".
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
That was Roger Altman, founder and senior chairman of Wall Street investment bank Evercore, warning that oil prices could soon create more problems for a stock market that has proved remarkably resilient so far.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
Its resilient population is grimly united behind the war effort.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
I wish that I had time to see you to safety, but you are wily, resilient.
From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo
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.
