as in opposes
to refuse to give in to
it is important to resist the temptation to run away from your problems
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Recent Examples of resists
The upholstery resists stretching and is simple to maintain, while the high-density foam cushions soften and shape to you over time.
—
Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Jan. 2026
Unlike traditional cast-iron skillets, this one is coated in a black satin enamel that prevents food from sticking to the bottom, resists rust, and doesn’t require seasoning or regular upkeep.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026
The state still exercises weak and ineffective oversight, and still resists much meaningful change.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026
For an entire day, Helen resists the impulse to read it.
—Sadia Shepard, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Writer-director Craig Brewer resists the temptation to make Mike and Claire in any way pitiful or worthy of derision.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
Everything is wrapped in a Ceraluminum ceramic finish that resists fingerprints and scratches while feeling premium in hand.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
But Henry resists, determined to forever be the villain and to give himself over to the enormous Mind Flayer.
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
Something is happening with The Ghoul, who resists becoming human on any level.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 19 Dec. 2025
Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Jan. 2026
Unlike traditional cast-iron skillets, this one is coated in a black satin enamel that prevents food from sticking to the bottom, resists rust, and doesn’t require seasoning or regular upkeep.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026
The state still exercises weak and ineffective oversight, and still resists much meaningful change.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026
For an entire day, Helen resists the impulse to read it.
—Sadia Shepard, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Writer-director Craig Brewer resists the temptation to make Mike and Claire in any way pitiful or worthy of derision.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
Everything is wrapped in a Ceraluminum ceramic finish that resists fingerprints and scratches while feeling premium in hand.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
But Henry resists, determined to forever be the villain and to give himself over to the enormous Mind Flayer.
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
Something is happening with The Ghoul, who resists becoming human on any level.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resists
Verb
-
Roarke LaCoursiere, with the Indiana Catholic Conference, said the organization opposes the bill because while its members stand with the victims and their families, the death penalty doesn’t bring about justice.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
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The governor rightly opposes raising nation-leading personal income taxes but may be cracking open the door to raising business or other taxes to respond to federal cuts.—
Andrew Rein,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Its tough shell withstands the wear and tear of holiday travel, while the roomy interior makes packing feel more seamless.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Dec. 2025
-
Tantalum is extremely robust and withstands the harshest cleaning processes to remove contamination during fabrication.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Resists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resists. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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