resistive

American  

[ri-zis-tiv] / rɪˈzɪs tɪv /

adjective

1. capable of or inclined to resistance; resisting.

2. Electricity. pertaining to or relying on electrical resistance.

   Pressure from your finger creates an electrical contact between the two layers of a resistive touchscreen.

---

resistive British  

/ rɪˈzɪstɪv /

adjective

1. another word for resistant

2. exhibiting electrical resistance

---

Other Word Forms

• nonresistive adjective
• resistively adverb
• resistiveness noun
• unresistive adjective

Etymology

Origin of resistive

First recorded in 1595–1605; resist + -ive

Example Sentences

“Deputy Kirk used a level of force that deputies across this country are trained and authorized to use when taking a resistive suspect into custody,” Wilson said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

When a photon strikes a pixel, the current shunted into the resistive heating element warms a small part of the readout wire, creating a tiny hotspot.

From Science Daily • Oct. 25, 2023

The team’s array of seafloor electrodes, sensitive to the conductivity of water, captured a subducting seamount that appeared to have a conductive interior covered by a thin resistive crust.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 21, 2023

"If we start building communities and structures out of materials more resistive to fire, we are upping our odds of success — we've got to do something different and do it better."

From Salon • Dec. 28, 2022

The principle apparently fails to note that any remedy likely to kill microbes is still more likely to kill cells of other kinds, and above all human cells lessened in their resistive vitality by disease.

From Psychotherapy by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)