withstand

[with-stand, with-]

See more synonyms for withstand on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), with·stood, with·stand·ing.

to stand or hold out against; resist or oppose, especially successfully: to withstand rust; to withstand the invaders; to withstand temptation.

verb (used without object), with·stood, with·stand·ing.

to stand in opposition; resist.

Origin of withstand

before 900; Middle English withstanden, Old English withstandan (see with-, stand); cognate with Old Norse vithstanda; akin to German widerstehen

Related formswith·stand·er, nounwith·stand·ing·ness, nounun·with·stand·ing, adjectiveun·with·stood, adjective

Synonyms for withstand

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1. confront, face. See oppose.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for withstand

combat, repel, defy, cope, tolerate, resist, weather, thwart, suffer, buck, duel, brave, violate, stick, contest, confront, traverse, fight, dispute, oppose

Examples from the Web for withstand

Contemporary Examples of withstand

People with ID may be less able to withstand this sort of interview technique.
How the U.S. Justice System Screws Prisoners with Disabilities
Elizabeth Picciuto
December 16, 2014
The gaming industry can withstand a critical look, but it can and must also withstand some diversity in its ranks.
The Cake Is a Lie: Sexism Isn’t a Boss Gamer Girls Can Beat
Emily V Gordon
July 8, 2014
He noted that none of the militaries of the former Soviet republics could withstand a full-scale Russian invasion.
What to Do When Russia Invades Your Country
Eli Lake
May 7, 2014
Six months of the highest dose of chemotherapy his body could withstand and, after that, nothing but hope.
How Big Pharma Holds Back in the War on Cancer
ProPublica
April 23, 2014
(Branch) Rickey selected Jackie because he knew he could withstand the guff.
Playing Pinochle and Breaking Barriers With Jackie Robinson
Evan Weiner
March 30, 2014

Historical Examples of withstand

It required all the captain's seamanship, and the efforts of all the crew, to withstand it.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
He was just in time to help other troops, not in numbers enough to withstand the shock.
The Rock of Chickamauga
Joseph A. Altsheler
He dreaded lest his principles should not withstand the strong temptation.
Tales And Novels, Volume 9 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
He was weak and soft-hearted, and had never been able to withstand a woman's tears.
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete
Emile Zola
This time the impact was so great the door could not withstand it, and down it came with a thud.
The Dare Boys of 1776
Stephen Angus Cox

British Dictionary definitions for withstand

withstand

verb -stands, -standing or -stood

(tr) to stand up to forcefully; resist
(intr) to remain firm in endurance or opposition

Derived Formswithstander, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for withstand

Old English wiðstandan, from wið "against" (see with) + standan "to stand" (see stand (v.)); perhaps a loan-translation of Latin resistere "to resist" (see resist). Cf. Old Norse viðstanda, Old Frisian withstonda, Old High German widarstan. In 14c. and early 15c., withsit was in use with the same meaning. Related: Withstood; withstanding.