resist

[ri-zist]

verb (used with object)

1. to withstand, strive against, or oppose.

   to resist infection; to resist temptation.

   Synonyms: rebuff, counteract, confront

2. to withstand the action or effect of.

   to resist spoilage.

3. to refrain or abstain from, especially with difficulty or reluctance.

   They couldn't resist the chocolates.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a stand or make efforts in opposition; act in opposition; offer resistance.

noun

1. a substance that prevents or inhibits some effect from taking place, as a coating on a surface of a metallic printing plate that prevents or inhibits corrosion of the metal by acid.

2. Textiles.,  a chemically inert substance used in resist printing.

resist

/ rɪˈzɪst /

verb

1. to stand firm (against); not yield (to); fight (against)

2. (tr) to withstand the deleterious action of; be proof against

   to resist corrosion

3. (tr) to oppose; refuse to accept or comply with

   to resist arrest

   to resist the introduction of new technology

4. (tr) to refrain from, esp in spite of temptation (esp in the phrases cannot or could not resist ( something ))

noun

1. a substance used to protect something, esp a coating that prevents corrosion

Other Word Forms

• resistible adjective
• resistibly adverb
• resister noun
• resistibility noun
• resistingly adverb
• interresist verb
• nonresisting adjective
• overresist verb
• quasi-resisted adjective
• unresisted adjective
• unresisting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of resist¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English resisten (verb), from Latin resistere “to remain standing,” equivalent to re- “again, back” + sistere “to cause to stand,” akin to stāre “to stand”; re-, stand

Word History and Origins

Origin of resist¹

C14: from Latin resistere to stand still, oppose, from _re- + sistere to stand firm

Synonym Study

See oppose.

Example Sentences

Mr Banayee says he was waiting for a call to fight soldiers loyal to Ahmad Shah Massoud, a former mujahideen commander who had fought the Soviets and was now resisting the Taliban in northern Afghanistan.

Read more on BBC

By holding three-quarters of Gaza and closing in on Hamas’s capital beginning in August, Israel pressured the terrorists into agreeing to terms they had long resisted for a partial hostage deal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This is among the reasons Powell has been resisting pressure from the White House to cut rates prematurely.

Read more on MarketWatch

Finally, my grandmother was hard of hearing and resisted wearing hearing aids regularly.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In a single stroke, a museum that had for decades resisted Cubist work became one of its most distinguished repositories in the world.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abide 
• combat 
• confront 
• continue 
• curb 
• defy 
• endure 
• forgo 
• maintain 
• prevent 
• refuse 
• repel 
• thwart 
• turn down