Resist
/rɪˈzɪst/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo withstand or oppose something; to try to prevent something from happening or succeeding.
/rɪˈzɪst/
To withstand the action or effect of
He tried to resist the temptation to eat the entire cake.
💡 Simply: Think of it like this: when something's trying to push you around or make you do something, you RESIST it. Like when you don't want to eat your broccoli, you RESIST eating it! Or when you're trying to hold a door closed against someone.
👶 For kids: To try to stop something from happening or working.
More Examples
The army resisted the enemy's advance.
The metal resists corrosion.
How It's Used
"The patient's body may resist the effects of the medication."
"The material resists heat and pressure."
To refrain from doing or undergoing something; to avoid or abstain from.
/rɪˈzɪst/
To refrain from doing something
She resisted the impulse to shout.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're offered a cookie when you're on a diet. RESIST means you choose NOT to eat the cookie because you're trying to stick to your plan! It's about saying no to something you want (or don't want).
👶 For kids: To not do something that you want to do or that other people want you to do.
More Examples
He resisted his anger.
She resisted the urge to buy the expensive handbag.
How It's Used
"She resisted the urge to interrupt."
"He resisted peer pressure to skip school."
Idioms & expressions
resist the urge
To try not to do something that you want to do.
"I had to resist the urge to eat the whole cake."
cannot resist
To be unable to stop yourself from doing something.
"I cannot resist a good sale."
From Middle French *resister*, from Latin *resistere* 'to withstand, oppose', from *re-* 'back, against' + *sistere* 'to stand'.
Used since the late 14th century, primarily with the sense of 'to withstand' or 'oppose'.
Memory tip
Imagine a brick wall RESISTing a strong wind.
Word Origin
"to withstand, oppose (re- 'back, against' + sistere 'to stand')"