withstand
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(tr) to stand up to forcefully; resist
-
(intr) to remain firm in endurance or opposition
Related Words
See oppose.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of withstand
First recorded before 900; Middle English withstanden, Old English withstandan ( see with-, stand); cognate with Old Norse vithstanda; akin to German widerstehen
Explanation
In the story of the three little pigs, only the house made of brick was able to withstand the huffing and puffing of the Big Bad Wolf. To withstand is to hold up against something strong. Withstand means to stand your ground against a powerful and negative force. A lot of toys can withstand rough treatment, but CDs definitely can't. And hopefully, you can withstand the pressures of school and work! If you can withstand a lot of criticism, it means you can take it without giving up.
Vocabulary lists containing withstand
Unit 1: Telling Details
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100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
They hope to gain insight into whether, as Joshua trees shift to higher areas, the fungal communities that help them withstand hot, dry conditions in their lower environs are moving with them.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
To qualify for spaceflight, the processor must withstand intense electromagnetic radiation and dramatic temperature fluctuations that can damage electronics.
From Science Daily • May 15, 2026
“It is my biggest responsibility to build a business structure that can withstand whatever may come amid this uncertainty.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
"It's harder for one country to withstand a trade war with another that it has trade surplus with," Ning said.
From BBC • May 11, 2026
The bolt was designed to withstand immense forces; if necessary to carry the entire weight of the payload.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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.
