1
as in resisting
opposed to something or refusing to agree or obey
The toddler was resistant to trying vegetables. His parents were set in their ways and resistant to the changes brought about by technology.
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2
as in persistent
having or showing determination to do or continue something
The resistant athletes did not give up even when they were losing the game. He was quite resistant, able to bounce back after even large setbacks in his career.
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as in challenger
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of resistant
Willem Marx, NPR, 23 May 2026
Recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation, the Colorscience Total Protection Brush-On Shield is a powder, paraben-free and freagrance-free formulation, designed with broad spectrum SPF 50 that’s water- and sweat-resistant for 80 minutes.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 May 2026
Cibus has edited canola and rice DNA to be herbicide-tolerant and disease-resistant.
—Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
That plan is now visibly shaping decisions — from undergrounding utilities to establishing fire-resistant rebuilding standards and streamlining permitting.
—Jeffery Marino, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for resistant
Adjective
But Iran, until now, has proved resistant to that approach.
—Willem Marx, NPR, 23 May 2026
Recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation, the Colorscience Total Protection Brush-On Shield is a powder, paraben-free and freagrance-free formulation, designed with broad spectrum SPF 50 that’s water- and sweat-resistant for 80 minutes.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 May 2026
Cibus has edited canola and rice DNA to be herbicide-tolerant and disease-resistant.
—Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
That plan is now visibly shaping decisions — from undergrounding utilities to establishing fire-resistant rebuilding standards and streamlining permitting.
—Jeffery Marino, Mercury News, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for resistant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resistant
Adjective
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Bugs or no, Ava has zero problem psychoanalyzing and then getting invasive with persistent follow-up questions.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
26 May 2026
-
The language first reached the continent in the early twentieth century and gained popularity during the postcolonial era as a politically neutral replacement for the still-persistent languages of European colonizers.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Noun
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DeGette has defeated primary challengers before, but this time her opponents have lined up long endorsement rosters.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
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Regardless of what Demuth decides, Qualls likely will face a primary challenger in August.—
Jimmy Lovrien,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
That's undoubtedly one of the top highlights in any opposing scouting report.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
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When scanning through the Lakers’ season during the team’s end-of-season press conference a little over a week ago, Rob Pelinka highlighted an opposing player who was partially to blame for the Lakers’ second-round exit.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
Robert Chlopas/Getty Images Americans' budgets are under increasing pressure right now as stubborn (and now rising) inflation, elevated interest rates and higher everyday costs continue to stretch paychecks thin.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
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As Fortune examined in March, Wall Street’s conviction that AI will kill SaaS runs up against a stubborn historical pattern — platform shifts tend to enrich incumbents who adapt, not destroy them.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
Noun
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Clemson resister Dabo Swinney has driven his program into the ground.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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In November 1971, Berkeley, California, became the first sanctuary city in the country when 12 local churches inspired the City Council to pass a resolution offering sanctuary to draft resisters.—
Menika Dirkson,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Joe Biden's catastrophic performance fueled questions about his mental acuity and led, three weeks later, to his reluctant withdrawal as the Democratic candidate.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
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This favoritism is driven by legacy preferences, athletic recruitment and nonacademic ratings that reward expensive resume-building, yet elite universities remain reluctant to change these practices.—
Prasad Krishnamurthy,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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One more win on Saturday would turn those party celebrations into something even more special and would only enhance those positive vibes around the club.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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Her results came back as estrogen receptor-positive stage 2A breast cancer, meaning her cancer had estrogen receptors that would respond to hormone therapy drugs.—
Ayren Jackson-Cannady,
SELF,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Additionally, small jobs can help tweens and teens develop confidence and communication skills at a time when many parents worry that children are becoming more socially hesitant.—
VaNessa Duplessie,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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In others, including parts of Florida and Louisiana, soaring insurance costs are making buyers more hesitant and pushing some homeowners to sell.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Resistant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resistant. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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