resilience

noun

re·sil·ience ri-ˈzil-yən(t)s

: the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress

: an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change

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Using Resilience Outside of Physics

In physics, resilience is the ability of an elastic material (such as rubber or animal tissue) to absorb energy (such as from a blow) and release that energy as it springs back to its original shape. The recovery that occurs in this phenomenon can be viewed as analogous to a person's ability to bounce back after a jarring setback. The word resilience derives from the present participle of the Latin verb resilire, meaning "to jump back" or "to recoil." The base of resilire is salire, a verb meaning "to leap" that also pops up in the etymologies of such sprightly words as sally and somersault.

Example Sentences

… the concert remained a remarkable tribute to Dylan's resilience and continued relevance. —

Susan Richardson, Rolling Stone, 15 Dec. 1994

He squeezed the rubber with a clamp and then released it—demonstrating with this painfully simple experiment that the material lost its resilience and therefore its ability to flex rapidly enough to protect the rocket joint from tumultuous hot gases. —

James Gleick, New York Times Book Review, 13 Nov. 1988

With amazing resilience the two tribes pulled together and set out to found a new town farther up the river. —

Carolyn Gilman, American Indian Art Magazine, Spring 1988

It is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature. Let any obstructing cause, no matter what, be removed in any way, even by death, and we fly back to first principles of hope and enjoyment. —

Bram Stoker, Dracula, 1897

The rescue workers showed remarkable resilience in dealing with the difficult conditions. Cold temperatures caused the material to lose resilience. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Instead, focus your marketing strategy on celebrating the strengths of moms apart from these expectations—all moms share traits like resilience and strength that don’t relate to their social roles. —

Erin Fabio, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023 Scroll through portraits of Ukrainians reflecting on a year of loss, resilience and fear. —

Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2023 The 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings is approaching, and WEEI morning show host Greg Hill wants to honor the resilience and heroism shown by the victims and first responders. —

Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Mar. 2023 Her collages, sculptures and videos examine the exploitation, resilience and grandeur of Black women, as social, spiritual and mythic beings. —

Roberta Smith, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2023 Wednesday’s show at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. celebrated both Mitchell's resilience and legendary songbook. —

Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2023 This deal was a reward for players’ resilience and insurance for playoff-untested goalie Pheonix Copley. —

Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023 Latex is a bit firmer, having more resilience and a bouncy feel, followed by buckwheat hulls, the firmest organic fill. —

Emma Seymour, Good Housekeeping, 27 Feb. 2023 Kosovan is far from the only Ukrainian startup founder with tales of resilience and unexpected wartime productivity over the past year. —

Lauren Goode, WIRED, 25 Feb. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'resilience.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.