What does withstand mean?
Definitions for withstand
wɪθˈstænd, wɪð-with·stand
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word withstand.
Princeton's WordNet
defy, withstand, hold, hold upverb
resist or confront with resistance
"The politician defied public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held"
resist, hold out, withstand, stand firmverb
stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something
Wiktionary
withstandverb
To resist or endure (something) successfully.
withstandverb
To oppose (something) forcefully.
Etymology: wiðstandan (wið "against" + standan "to stand")
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
To Withstandverb
To gainstand; to oppose; to resist.
Etymology: with and stand.
The violence of sorrow is not at the first to be striven withal, being like a mighty beast, sooner tamed with following, than overthrown by withstanding. Philip Sidney.
The wonderful zeal and fervour wherewith ye have withstood the received orders of this church, was the first thing which caused me to enter unto consideration, whether every christian man fearing God, stand bound to join with you. Richard Hooker.
It is our frailty that in many things we all do amiss, but a virtue that we would do amiss in nothing, and a testimony of that virtue, that when we pray that what occasion of sin soever do offer itself, we may be strengthened from above to withstand it. Richard Hooker, b. v.
They soon set sail; nor now the fates withstand;
Their forces trusted with a foreign hand. Dryden.When Elymas withstood Paul and Barnabas, and when Paul says of Alexander, he hath greatly withstood our words, do we think the withstanding there was without speaking? Francis Atterbury.
ChatGPT
withstand
To withstand means to remain undamaged, unaffected, or stay strong, often in a situation or under conditions that are difficult or hostile. It can also refer to the ability to resist or endure something challenging such as stress, pressure, or some form of adverse conditions.
Webster Dictionary
Withstand
to stand against; to oppose; to resist, either with physical or moral force; as, to withstand an attack of troops; to withstand eloquence or arguments
Etymology: [AS. wistandan. See With, prep., and Stand.]
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Withstand
with-stand′, v.t. to stand against: to oppose or resist:—pa.t. and pa.p. Withstood′.—n. Withstand′er.
Military Dictionary and Gazetteer
withstand
To oppose; to resist; as, to withstand the attack of troops.
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of withstand in Chaldean Numerology is: 6
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of withstand in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1
Examples of withstand in a Sentence
We're clearly in an escalatory cycle, but I think Beijing's primary motivation right now in the trade war is to be able to withstand pressure from President Donald Trump. You can think of it as' resilience comes first.'.
Continued expectation of easier central bank policy has helped underpin equity markets after a turbulent few months, investors are veering between confidence that the U.S. economy is still performing well enough to withstand a rate rise, to an expectation that if it's not, the Fed will remain on hold.
No species can withstand all the infinite factors to which it can be exposed. Homo sapiens is closer to mass death than other species of the same geographical distribution, largely because we hunt it ourselves.
If commodity prices remain low, Devon has significant balance sheet strength to withstand an extended downturn.
When the fire started, we sat in two lifeboats, but did not put them down on the sea surface as we were afraid that a storm could break them into pieces, we were sitting and waiting for rescuers, when the hawsers of the other boat ripped, it dropped into the water and collapsed. Hawsers, which were holding other boats, broke as they did not withstand the pressure from the storm.
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Translations for withstand
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"withstand." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 6 Mar. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/withstand>.
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