resist

1 of 2

verb

re·​sist ri-ˈzist How to pronounce resist (audio)
resisted; resisting; resists

intransitive verb

: to exert force in opposition

transitive verb

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

resist

2 of 2

noun

often attributive
: something (such as a coating) that protects against a chemical, electrical, or physical action
Choose the Right Synonym for resist

oppose, combat, resist, withstand mean to set oneself against someone or something.

oppose can apply to any conflict, from mere objection to bitter hostility or warfare.

opposed the plan

combat stresses the forceful or urgent countering of something.

combat disease

resist implies an overt recognition of a hostile or threatening force and a positive effort to counteract or repel it.

resisting temptation

withstand suggests a more passive resistance.

trying to withstand peer pressure

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
Verb
But the pachyderm resists training until Jacob finds just the right words and, with Marlena, makes the intuitive animal into the star attraction. Frank Rizzo, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024 Isaiah Dorsey, 27, is charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor: one count of burglary by use of a dangerous weapon, one county of criminal damage to property by use of a dangerous weapon and resisting an officer, according to Waukesha County court documents. Adrienne Davis, Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024 And in Ohio, two in 10 to as many as three in 10 Republican primary voters continued to resist Trump’s candidacy. Adam Carlson, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024 For her part, Jagna tries to resist but is often swayed by Antek. Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2024 The intervening years, though, have resisted that kind of therapeutic clarity. Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024 The album’s eclectic style, which blends comedy, storytelling, and therapeutic elements, resists confinement. Ebony Flake, Essence, 18 Mar. 2024 But alluding to the story is hard for a politician like him to resist. David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 The modern reading public has resisted relinquishing its settled idea about Robert Louis Stevenson as a romantic fantasist, but in his day he was considered one of the best essayists of his generation. Phillip Lopate, The New York Review of Books, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'resist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French resister, from Latin resistere, from re- + sistere to take a stand; akin to Latin stare to stand — more at stand

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of resist was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near resist

Cite this Entry

“Resist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resist. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

resist

verb
re·​sist
ri-ˈzist
1
: to fight against : oppose
resist temptation
2
: to withstand the force or effect of
material that resists water

More from Merriam-Webster on resist

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