withstands

Withstands is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb withstand. It means to resist or endure the force, pressure, or effect of something, or to remain intact when subjected to a test, challenge, or adverse condition. The word often conveys active resistance rather than passive endurance.

Etymology and form: withstand derives from Old English wiþstandan, from wiþ meaning against and standan meaning to stand. In modern usage, withstands is used when the subject performs the action of resisting or enduring.

Usage and examples: withstands can describe physical resilience, as in a structure that withstood an earthquake, a material that withstood high temperatures, or a bridge that withstood strong winds. It is also used metaphorically, such as a policy withstanding criticism or a plan that withstood the test of time. Common collocations include withstand heat, pressure, wind, and scrutiny, as well as withstand temptation or danger. The construction is flexible: the thing that resists can be the subject, followed by the force or challenge as the object, or the challenge can appear with a time frame or context.

Contexts and related terms: in engineering, geology, and materials science, withstand describes tolerance or survivability under load. In everyday language, it often conveys durability or robustness. Related verbs include resist, endure, weather, and survive. Distinctions vary: withstand emphasizes active resistance to an external force; endure highlights persistence over time; resist focuses on opposition to influence or force; weather stresses surviving adverse conditions with limited damage.