resist

American  

[ri-zist] / rɪˈzɪst /

verb (used with object)

• resists,
  present (3rd person singular)
• resisted,
  past participle,  past
• resisting
  present participle

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.

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verb (used without object)

• resists,
  present (3rd person singular)
• resisted,
  past participle,  past
• resisting
  present participle

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 British  

/ 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 ))

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noun

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

Synonym Usage

See oppose.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Participles

• resisting
  present
• resisted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• resist
  simple
• resists
  simple
• have resisted
  perfect
• has resisted
  perfect
• am resisting
  progressive
• are resisting
  progressive
• is resisting
  progressive
• have been resisting
  perfect progressive
• has been resisting
  perfect progressive

Past

• resisted
  simple
• had resisted
  perfect
• was resisting
  progressive
• were resisting
  progressive
• had been resisting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will resist
  simple
• will have resisted
  perfect
• will be resisting
  progressive
• will have been resisting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of resist

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”; see origin at re-, stand

Explanation

To resist something is to keep it at bay or to fend off its influence or advance. You might not be able to resist the temptation to sneak out to the dance in spite of your parents' objections. The verb resist comes from the Latin word resistere, meaning “to take a stand,” or “withstand.” People who are able to put up a wall — be it mental, physical, philosophical, emotional, or otherwise — to defend themselves or their group against a threat can be said to resist. The Amish community is still able to resist the influence of technology. Many a child will resist the suggestion to use a napkin. You might resist a second helping of pie.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

resist resists resisted resisting

The legendary investor can’t resist the algorithm either.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

A diverse microbiome is generally better able to resist the expansion of harmful pathogens.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026

"We can't have baths... all the plugs have been removed to resist temptation," said Scantlebury.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Those who resist the urge to use their precious time doing anything else will be rewarded not with payoff, but indictment.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

After all that, the quiet comfort of the cottage was just too hard to resist.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

The father resists but the son is now curious.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

“It’s meant to be protected. Everything in me resists sharing it publicly — not because I’m not grateful or joyful, but because this feels like one of the few things that truly belongs to me.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

Roberts’ opinion for the court, despite being well-written and legally correct, resists critiquing the original order with the forcefulness this issue deserves.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

The HV measurement refers to Vickers hardness, a test that evaluates how strongly a material resists being indented by a hard tip.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

It resists, but now I want it off.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

In the 1930s and ’40s, Justice Alito explains, the Supreme Court mostly resisted any inclination to strike down Congressional legislation, which had mostly to do with New Deal economic policies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

This correspondence shows the family resisted that year when another man at the fort sought to buy her for 450 Dutch guilders, the equivalent of around $12,000 today.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

Van resisted and managed to get back to his feet.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026

It was the second flashpoint between the Ferrari drivers in two races, after an argument over the radio during the Dutch Grand Prix when Leclerc resisted a request to move aside for Hamilton.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

Well-dressed people in flowing dashikis and wax-print dresses were passing through with no trouble...She resisted the urge to look down at her own clothes.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray

Sara Serfaty, 25, grew up in New York with Moroccan Jewish parents and spent years resisting the idea that Israel could be home.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Then, beginning in August, software stocks, semiconductors and the megacaps started moving higher in unison, as investors saw the tech sector as the best bet for resisting the pull of rising interest rates.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

“Both of us have been resisting the idea that ‘grief is love with nowhere to go’ and instead, actively putting our grief, our love, into our art,” Falley said in an email exchange.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

She had spent years resisting a political career.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

Clara muttered, resisting the urge to do so herself.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Related Words

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