Library / English Dictionary

WITHSTAND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: withstood   

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something

Synonyms:

hold out; resist; stand firm; withstand

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "withstand" is one way to...):

defend; fight; fight back; fight down; oppose (fight against or resist strongly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "withstand"):

stand out (be stubborn in resolution or resistance)

stand up (refuse to back down; remain solid under criticism or attack)

outbrave (resist bravely)

hold off (resist and fight to a standoff)

remain firm; stand (hold one's ground; maintain a position; be steadfast or upright)

defy; hold; hold up; withstand (resist or confront with resistance)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

withstander (a fighter who holds out against attack)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Resist or confront with resistance

Example:

The bridge held

Synonyms:

defy; hold; hold up; withstand

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "withstand" is one way to...):

hold out; resist; stand firm; withstand (stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "withstand"):

brave; brave out; endure; weather (face and withstand with courage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

withstander (an opponent who resists with force or resolution)

Credits

 Context examples: 

This process is restricted to objects that can withstand high temperatures.

(Dry Heat Sterilization, NCI Thesaurus)

Locked within the Earth are organisms that can withstand extreme pressures, temperatures and a lack of nutrients — changing how we think about "life."

(Researchers Create New Model of Ecosystem Hidden Beneath Earth, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Testing the device's ability to withstand a constant tensile load at elevated temperatures.

(Device Creep Strength Testing Evaluation Method, Food and Drug Administration)

What's more, the results were largely unchanged after further testing, suggesting that the findings withstand scrutiny.

(Possible link found between sugary drinks, cancer, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The researchers genetically altered the transporter to withstand the temperatures used for isolation.

(Serotonin transporter structure revealed, NIH)

This process is typically carried out between 30 and 60 degrees C and is applicable for use on small objects that cannot withstand high temperatures.

(Ethylene Oxide-in-a-Bag Sterilization, NCI Thesaurus)

The moist air is typically applied at increased atmospheric pressure and the process is restricted to objects that can withstand high temperature and pressure.

(Moist Heat or Steam Sterilization, NCI Thesaurus)

Testing the device's capability to withstand the progressive and localized structural damage that occurs when a material is subjected to cyclic loading.

(Device Fatigue Testing Evaluation Method, Food and Drug Administration)

A civil servant she had withstood; but when Dr.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Feet with which to clutch the ground, legs to stand on and to help withstand, while with arms and hands, teeth and nails, I struggle to kill and to be not killed.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)