Origin: Latin suffix -ance
Resistance has 12 different meanings across 1 category:
the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with
"he encountered a general feeling of resistance from many citizens"
"despite opposition from the newspapers he went ahead"
any mechanical force that tends to retard or oppose motion
"The rusty hinge created so much resistance when I tried to open the heavy door."
a material's opposition to the flow of electric current; measured in ohms
"The technician swapped out the faulty resistor because its high resistance was causing the circuit to draw too little current."
the military action of resisting the enemy's advance
"the enemy offered little resistance"
(medicine) the condition in which an organism can resist disease
"After years of taking antibiotics, her immune system finally developed enough resistance to stop recurring infections without medication."
the capacity of an organism to defend itself against harmful environmental agents
"these trees are widely planted because of their resistance to salt and smog"
a secret group organized to overthrow a government or occupation force
"The underground resistance managed to smuggle critical intelligence out of the occupied city before the soldiers could discover their hideout."
the degree of unresponsiveness of a disease-causing microorganism to antibiotics or other drugs (as in penicillin-resistant bacteria)
"The hospital reported a sharp increase in patients infected with penicillin-resistant strains, forcing doctors to switch to stronger medications immediately."
(psychiatry) an unwillingness to bring repressed feelings into conscious awareness
"The therapist noted that her patient's sudden silence during the session was a classic sign of resistance, showing he refused to let his childhood trauma surface."
an electrical device that resists the flow of electrical current
"The technician replaced the old resistor to restore proper resistance and prevent the circuit from overheating."
group action in opposition to those in power
"The underground resistance began sabotaging supply lines to weaken the occupying forces."
The act of resisting, or the capacity to resist.
"The new material is renowned for its resistance to extreme heat and corrosion."
In plain English: Resistance is the act of fighting back against something that tries to stop you from doing what you want.
"The team showed great resistance to the enemy's attack."
Usage: Use resistance when referring to an active struggle against authority or force, such as political opposition or physical friction. Avoid confusing it with resilience, which describes the ability to recover from difficulty rather than opposing a specific threat.
The word resistance entered English via the Old French resistence, which borrowed it from the Latin resistentia. It originally carried the meaning of standing firm against force or pressure, a sense that remains its primary definition today.