resistir (aguantar, soportar)

What does “resistir (aguantar, soportar)” mean in English?

1. to withstand, to resist

   to withstand, to resist (resistir — hold up under pressure, attack, or adversity)

Example sentences

• La economía resistió mejor de lo previsto los embates de la crisis gracias a las reservas acumuladas.

  The economy withstood the blows of the crisis better than expected thanks to the accumulated reserves.

• El puente fue diseñado para resistir terremotos de hasta magnitud ocho en la escala de Richter.

  The bridge was designed to withstand earthquakes of up to magnitude eight on the Richter scale.

• Se resistió a reconocer sus errores incluso cuando las evidencias eran abrumadoras.

  She resisted acknowledging her mistakes even when the evidence was overwhelming.

How to use it

Resistir means 'to withstand', 'to resist', or 'to hold up under pressure'. Transitive: resistir los ataques (withstand attacks), resistir la tentación (resist temptation), la estructura resiste el peso (the structure withstands the load). Reflexive resistirse a means 'to resist doing / to refuse': se resiste a aceptar la derrota (he refuses to accept defeat). At B2, both uses are important. Near-synonyms: aguantar (hold on/endure — more colloquial), soportar (bear/endure — often stress or weight), sobrevivir a (survive — outcome-focused).