resilient
Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions; (of a substance) able to recoil or spring back into shape after bending or stretching.
Focuses on the 'bounce back' factor. It's not just about not breaking; it's about returning to a healthy state after being stressed.
Word relationships
- buoyant: Buoyant specifically refers to the ability to float or keep one's spirits up.
- tough: Tough implies resistance to being hurt; resilient implies recovery after being hurt.
- fragile: Fragile describes something that breaks easily and cannot be repaired.
- vulnerable: Vulnerable describes something easily harmed or open to attack.
Commonly confused with
- durable: Durable means it doesn't break; resilient means it can bend and then return to its original shape.
Word family
- resilience (noun): The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.
- resiliently (adverb): In a resilient manner.
Collocations
- resilient economy
- resilient material
- resilient spirit
- highly resilient
Example sentences
- "Children are often surprisingly resilient, finding ways to thrive even in the most challenging environments." Psychology
- "The bridge was designed with a resilient structure that could sway during an earthquake without collapsing." Engineering
Memory hook
Think of a 'silent' spring that 'resiliently' jumps back into place. Resilient = Re- (back) + Salire (jump).
When not to use
Don't use it for something that is simply hard and unmoving; a diamond is 'durable,' but a rubber band is 'resilient.'
Fun facts
- In ecology, resilience is the capacity of an ecosystem to respond to a perturbation or disturbance by resisting damage and recovering quickly.
Explore more words
resilience, restorative, adaptability, hardiness, adaptable, self-reliant
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