withstand
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to stand up to forcefully; resist
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(intr) to remain firm in endurance or opposition
Synonym Usage
See oppose.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have withstoodperfect
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has withstoodperfect 3rd person singular
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am withstandingprogressive 1st person singular
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are withstandingprogressive
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have been withstandingperfect progressive
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withstandingparticiple
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is withstandingprogressive 3rd person singular
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withstandssingular 3rd person
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has been withstandingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had withstoodperfect
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was withstandingprogressive singular
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had been withstandingperfect progressive
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withstoodsimple
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were withstandingprogressive plural
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withstoodparticiple
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.
One lesson of the pandemic was that hotels and motels mobilized to house the unsheltered were successful in bringing people indoors who were otherwise reluctant to stay in congregate shelters or withstand involuntary hospitalizations.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
Not only will Phantom MK-2 be element proof, says Pathak, but a large battery will provide about six hours of runtime, and it will be able to recover if it falls and withstand more force.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
He said given South Korea's heavy reliance on exports, they could not withstand severe global sanctions for attempting to go nuclear in violation of international rules.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
By assembling a diverse coalition of institutional allies, Bass managed to withstand those attacks, said Fernando Guerra, who heads the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
He could counterattack with tears or rage or promises, and I could withstand every single one.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
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.
