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
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
The Tribes have been harvesting cones from healthy trees to regrow seedlings resistant to the fungus.
—Ellis Juhlin, NPR, 18 May 2026
Long-staple Egyptian cotton is more resistant to pilling than regular cotton.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
The institutional pattern is quite resistant to correction.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for resistant
Adjective
Look for resistant varieties when selecting tomato plants for the garden.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
The Tribes have been harvesting cones from healthy trees to regrow seedlings resistant to the fungus.
—Ellis Juhlin, NPR, 18 May 2026
Long-staple Egyptian cotton is more resistant to pilling than regular cotton.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
The institutional pattern is quite resistant to correction.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 12 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
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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
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Nereyda Hernandez had just given a speech, and was one of the first LGBTQ activists to leave the scene once the opposing protesters arrived.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
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Instead of pretending to be doctors attempting to remove body parts from a patient, however, Unethical Hoops players act as members of an opposing basketball team trying to take the ball from a cartoon character who very much resembles Gilgeous-Alexander.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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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 2 Jun. 2026.
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