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
- unwithstanding adjective
- unwithstood adjective
- withstander noun
- withstandingness noun
Etymology
Origin of withstand
First recorded before 900; Middle English withstanden, Old English withstandan ( 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.
Officials argue that rather than rushing through relief efforts, the priority is to "build back better" so that new homes and businesses are resilient enough to withstand future disasters.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
“But these funds have been designed to withstand the pressures.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
“You’re going to need to withstand runs, and you’re gonna need to figure that kind of stuff out,” Rice said.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
"We write information into stable, inert materials that can withstand the passage of time and remain fully accessible to future generations."
From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026
In this school Alba learned to eat boiled vegetables and burnt rice, to withstand the freezing courtyard, sing hymns, and give up worldly vanities except those in the realm of sports.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
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.
