Synonyms of resist

resist

verb

ri-ˈzist 

as in to oppose

to refuse to give in to

it is important to resist the temptation to run away from your problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

• oppose
• withstand
• fight
• repel
• defy
• thwart
• combat
• challenge
• counter
• contradict
• buck
• contend (with)
• hinder
• contest
• obstruct
• frustrate
• stem
• check
• battle
• dispute
• balk
• foil
• baffle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• submit (to)
• yield (to)
• surrender (to)
• succumb (to)
• bow (to)
• give in (to)
• stoop (to)
• capitulate (to)
• knuckle under (to)

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb resist differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of resist are combat, oppose, and withstand. While all these words mean "to set oneself against someone or something," resist implies an overt recognition of a hostile or threatening force and a positive effort to counteract or repel it.

resisting temptation

When can combat be used instead of resist?

Although the words combat and resist have much in common, combat stresses the forceful or urgent countering of something.

combat disease

In what contexts can oppose take the place of resist?

While in some cases nearly identical to resist, oppose can apply to any conflict, from mere objection to bitter hostility or warfare.

opposed the plan

When might withstand be a better fit than resist?

The synonyms withstand and resist are sometimes interchangeable, but withstand suggests a more passive resistance.

trying to withstand peer pressure

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of resist

After another disturbance, McClatchy was jailed on charges of resisting the authority of the sheriff, but later exonerated, the Media Museum said. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Multiple reviewers have called out the backside-flattering fit and stretchy material that resists getting baggy after a full day of wear. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026

Even some of the creators most associated with the tradwife aesthetic resist the label, such as Hannah Neeleman of Ballerina Farm. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026

Really, what writer, no matter how detached from their past, could resist that kind of sweet talk? — Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026