resilience
rih-ZIHL-ih-uhns
Resilience (noun) means the ability to recover quickly from difficulty. Example: “Her resilience after the accident amazed everyone who knew her.”
noun
1
The ability to recover quickly from difficulty.
"Her resilience after the accident amazed everyone who knew her."
"Building resilience helps children cope with setbacks later in life."
2
The ability of a material to bounce back into shape after being bent or stretched.
"Rubber is prized for its resilience."
"Engineers test the resilience of the material before using it in bridges."
How to use resilience
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe ability to bounce back from setbacks, whether emotional or physical.
Memory tip
Think of a rubber band — it bends under pressure, then springs back. That's resilience.
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Common pairings
build resilience
show resilience
emotional resilience
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Word forms
- Plural
- resiliences
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Her _____ after the accident amazed everyone who knew her.
Etymology
From Latin resilire, "to spring back."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for resilience
See all rhymes for resilience →Frequently asked questions
What does “resilience” mean?
The word “resilience” means the ability to recover quickly from difficulty. In plain terms, the ability to bounce back from setbacks, whether emotional or physical.
How do you pronounce “resilience”?
“Resilience” is pronounced rih-ZIHL-ih-uhns (/ɹɪˈzɪl.jəns/ in IPA).
How do you use “resilience” in a sentence?
Here is “resilience” used in a sentence: “Her resilience after the accident amazed everyone who knew her.”
What part of speech is “resilience”?
“Resilience” is a noun.
Where does the word “resilience” come from?
The word “resilience” comes from Latin. From Latin resilire, "to spring back.".
Is “resilience” a common word?
“Resilience” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “resilience” have?
“Resilience” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the ability to recover quickly from difficulty.
What is the difference between resilience and toughness?
Resilience specifically refers to the ability to recover quickly from difficulty, emphasizing a return to a good state after setback. Toughness suggests an ability to endure hardship or withstand damage in the first place, without necessarily implying a quick recovery afterward.
What is the difference between resilience and resistance?
Resilience is about bouncing back after being affected by difficulty or, in materials, after being bent or stretched. Resistance is about withstanding a force or influence in the first place, often preventing damage from occurring rather than recovering from it afterward.
How is resilience used differently in psychology and materials science?
In psychology and everyday use, resilience describes a person's ability to recover quickly from difficulty, such as stress or setbacks. In materials science, resilience describes a material's ability to bounce back into its original shape after being bent or stretched, a more literal, physical sense of the same underlying idea.
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