Synonyms of withstand

withstand

verb

with-ˈstand 

as in to resist

to refuse to give in to

trying to withstand the temptation to use the beautiful weather as an excuse to take a mental health day

Synonyms & Similar Words

• resist
• oppose
• fight
• repel
• defy
• combat
• thwart
• contend (with)
• challenge
• contradict
• buck
• hinder
• counter
• stem
• contest
• frustrate
• obstruct
• check
• dispute
• battle
• balk
• foil
• baffle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• yield (to)
• submit (to)
• succumb (to)
• surrender (to)
• bow (to)
• give in (to)
• stoop (to)
• capitulate (to)
• knuckle under (to)

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb withstand differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of withstand are combat, oppose, and resist. While all these words mean "to set oneself against someone or something," withstand suggests a more passive resistance.

trying to withstand peer pressure

When could combat be used to replace withstand?

While the synonyms combat and withstand are close in meaning, combat stresses the forceful or urgent countering of something.

combat disease

Where would oppose be a reasonable alternative to withstand?

The words oppose and withstand can be used in similar contexts, but oppose can apply to any conflict, from mere objection to bitter hostility or warfare.

opposed the plan

When might resist be a better fit than withstand?

The synonyms resist and withstand are sometimes interchangeable, but resist implies an overt recognition of a hostile or threatening force and a positive effort to counteract or repel it.

resisting temptation

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of withstand

The February 2025 disaster exposed a licensing system too fragile and punitive to withstand real-world challenges. —Zack Defazio Farrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025

The city's flood wall system is designed to withstand 51 feet of water. —CBS News, 7 Apr. 2025

More 06 of 11 Impatiens While there are now SunPatiens that withstand blazing Southern sun, old-fashioned garden impatiens prefer part to full shade. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2025

Old documents also claimed that this species could grow in lowlands, survive high temperatures and withstand droughts. —Marta Zaraska, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025