resisted; resisting; resists
: to exert force in opposition
1
: to exert oneself so as to counteract or defeat
he resisted temptation
2
: to withstand the force or effect of
material that resists heat
often attributive
: something (such as a coating) that protects against a chemical, electrical, or physical action
Examples of resist in a Sentence
Verb
He was charged with resisting arrest.
These windows can resist very high winds.
The drug will help your body resist infection.
She couldn't resist telling us what she'd heard.
He was able to resist the urge to tell her his secret.
It was hard resisting the temptation to open the box.
The offer was hard to resist.
I know I shouldn't have any more cake, but I can't resist.
Recent Examples on the Web
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 5 July 2025
The Supreme Court upheld that ruling and ordered the administration to begin the process of releasing him, but officials resisted bringing him back until he was indicted on the human smuggling charges in May.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 July 2025
And for those who can't resist the temptation, any mocktail can be easily elevated with a touch of their signature sotol.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Baker was charged with felony assault and four misdemeanors: obstructing official business, resisting arrest, failure to disclose personal information and disorderly conduct.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for resist
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
But the big challenge for Świątek, resisting a reversion to the baseline aggression when matches get stressful, also gets magnified on grass, where sets can disappear in minutes and errors rack up more easily and quickly.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 5 July 2025
The Supreme Court upheld that ruling and ordered the administration to begin the process of releasing him, but officials resisted bringing him back until he was indicted on the human smuggling charges in May.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 July 2025
And for those who can't resist the temptation, any mocktail can be easily elevated with a touch of their signature sotol.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Baker was charged with felony assault and four misdemeanors: obstructing official business, resisting arrest, failure to disclose personal information and disorderly conduct.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for resist
Cite this Entry
“Resist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resist. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share