What does "withstand" mean?

1. (to endure or resist) to be strong enough to remain undamaged by something like heat, pressure, or a physical attack. 2. (to oppose or hold out) to successfully resist someone's power, an argument, or a temptation.

How do you use "withstand"?

This is a transitive verb; you withstand a force or a condition directly without using a preposition like 'against'. Often used in formal contexts regarding legal, political, or psychological pressure.

withstand

US //wɪθˈstænd// UK //wɪðstˈænd// with·stand

1 to endure or resist (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to be strong enough to remain undamaged by something like heat, pressure, or a physical attack.

to resist or endure a physical or environmental force successfully without collapsing or yielding.

Example

The old bridge was built to withstand even the strongest winter floods.

Example

Modern skyscrapers are engineered to withstand significant seismic activity, using flexible foundations to absorb the energy of an earthquake.

Usage

This is a transitive verb; you withstand a force or a condition directly without using a preposition like 'against'.
2 to oppose or hold out (v.)
C1 Advanced Formal

to successfully resist someone's power, an argument, or a temptation.

to maintain one's position against abstract pressure, such as criticism, temptation, or legal challenges.

Example

She had to withstand a lot of pressure from her family to change her mind.

Example

The witness managed to withstand a grueling cross-examination without contradicting her original statement.

Usage

Often used in formal contexts regarding legal, political, or psychological pressure.
- defy
- oppose
- hold out
- surrender
- give in

Origin

From Middle English withstanden, from Old English wiþstandan, from Proto-West Germanic *wiþistandan (“to withstand, resist”), equivalent to with- (“against”) + stand. Cognate with Old Frisian withstanda (“to resist”). Compare also Dutch weerstaan (“to withstand, repel”), German widerstehen (“to withstand, resist, defy”), Russian противостоять (protivostojatʹ, “to withstand”).