Motstå

Motstå is a Swedish verb meaning to resist, withstand, or oppose. It is used when a subject refuses or fights against temptation, pressure, an attack, or influence, and it can be physical, moral, or figurative. The term emphasizes not yielding to something rather than merely enduring it.

The verb is formed from the preposition mot (against) and the verb stå (to stand), literally “to stand against.” Its present tense is motstår, the past tense is motstod, and the supine is motstått. It is commonly used with direct objects, for example frestelser (temptations), pressure, or an attack, as in hon kunde inte motstå frestelserna or soldaterna motstod fiendens attacker. It can also appear in more abstract uses, such as att motståinflytande or att motstå ett påtryck.

The word is closely related to motstånd (resistance) and motståndskraft (resilience). A related expression is stå emot, which has a similar meaning and is often used for resisting ongoing pressure or adversity.

Examples:

- Hon kunde inte motstå frestelserna. (She could not resist the temptations.)

- Försvararna motstod attacken i flera timmar. (The defenders withstood the attack for several hours.)

- Han stod emot trycket tills beslutet togs. (He resisted the pressure until the decision was made.)