resilient

adjective

re·​sil·​ient ri-ˈzil-yənt 

: characterized or marked by resilience: such as

a

: capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture

b

: tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change

a resilient local economy

resiliently adverb

Synonyms of resilient

• flexible
• stretch
• plastic

Choose the Right Synonym for resilient

elastic, resilient, springy, flexible, supple mean able to endure strain without being permanently injured.

elastic implies the property of resisting deformation by stretching.

an elastic waistband

resilient implies the ability to recover shape quickly when the deforming force or pressure is removed.

a resilient innersole

springy stresses both the ease with which something yields to pressure and the quickness of its return to original shape.

the cake is done when the top is springy

flexible applies to something which may or may not be resilient or elastic but which can be bent or folded without breaking.

flexible plastic tubing

supple applies to something that can be readily bent, twisted, or folded without any sign of injury.

supple leather

Examples of resilient in a Sentence

The tallow tree, an ornamental species introduced by Benjamin Franklin in 1772, can quickly grow to 10 metres and is resilient to many pests. —New Scientist, 19-25 Aug. 2006

In this affecting and eloquent account of the Dew family members' attempts to come to terms with the homosexuality of the elder son … Stephen emerges as a remarkably resilient and self-aware young man. —Genevieve Stuttaford, Publishers Weekly, 18 Apr. 1994

Scientists are trying to figure out how the complex structure of such crystals and polymers and their interactions on the molecular level lead to resilient materials like sea shells, teeth and bones. —JoAnn Shroyer, Quark, Critters and Chaos, 1993

Old roses are tough and resilient; they may be a little loose and blowzy … but the fact remains, these bushes want to live. —Beverly Lowry, New York Times Book Review, 3 Dec. 1989

Hot-dipped nails have a resilient, thick zinc jacket that withstands more of the perils of a nail's life. —Jim Locke, The Apple Corps Guide to the Well-Built House, 1988

The local economy is remarkably resilient.

after being dipped in liquid nitrogen, the rubber ball's normally resilient surface is as brittle as ceramic

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s partly due to low layoffs and a still-solid labor market, though low-income households are feeling the pain of price hikes and mounting debt more so than their high-income counterparts, who have benefited from a resilient stock market. — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

Effective digital fisheries governance is not defined by a single technology, but by the ability to combine data, human expertise, and operational intelligence into a resilient and adaptive enforcement system. — IEEE Spectrum, 16 July 2026

Such signals would also likely prove more resilient to interference at a time when commercial flights, maritime shipping, and even various smartphone apps face increasingly widespread disruption from GPS jamming. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026

The Clarity Act is our best chance to maintain America’s role as home for global capital markets deployed in the world’s safest, most resilient regulatory environment, with rule of law and property rights clearly defined. — Patrick McHenry, Fortune, 16 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin resilient-, resiliens, present participle of resilire to jump back, recoil, from re- + salire to leap — more at sally

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for resilient

• brilliant

Kids Definition

resilient

adjective

re·​sil·​ient ri-ˈzil-yənt 

: characterized or marked by resilience

resiliently adverb

Etymology

from Latin resilient-, resiliens, present participle of resilire "to jump back, rebound," from re- "back, again" and salire "to leap, spring" — related to assault, insult, somersault

Medical Definition

resilient

adjective

re·​sil·​ient -yənt 

: characterized or marked by resilience