withstand
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to stand up to forcefully; resist
-
(intr) to remain firm in endurance or opposition
Synonym Usage
See oppose.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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withstandsimple
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withstandssimple
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have withstoodperfect
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has withstoodperfect
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am withstandingprogressive
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are withstandingprogressive
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is withstandingprogressive
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have been withstandingperfect progressive
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has been withstandingperfect progressive
Past
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withstoodsimple
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had withstoodperfect
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was withstandingprogressive
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were withstandingprogressive
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had been withstandingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Withstand it, and you might listen to “The Star-Spangled Banner” on the medal stand, as those four American men did.
From Washington Post • Jul. 26, 2021
Withstand the appeal he did, however, though in his inward spirit he prayed fervently to God to put away this dreadful affliction from the young and innocent creature before him.
From Jack Tier by Cooper, James Fenimore
Withstand thy will at the beginning, and unlearn an evil habit, lest it lead thee little by little into worse difficulties.
From The Imitation of Christ by Benham, William
Withstand ye, with perfect assurance, the flood of trials and calamities, through the power of His Highness, the Almighty.
From Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas by `Abdu'l-Bahá
"Strengthened by faith, these rafters will Withstand the battering of the storm; This hearth, though all the world grow chill, Will keep us warm."
From Le Petit Nord or, Annals of a Labrador Harbour by Grenfell, Wilfred Thomason, Sir
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.
