/ɹɪˈzɪsts/
Say it backResists is the third-person singular form of the verb resist, meaning to strive against or oppose something, or to withstand force or temptation. In pronunciation, it is typically pronounced as two syllables with stress on the second syllable in many contexts: re-SISTS.
- You may flatten the second syllable, giving /ˈzɪts/; keep the middle vowel crisp as /ɪ/. - You may voice the ending too strongly or too softly; aim for a clear /z/ after the /t/ release. - In rapid speech, the /st/ cluster can be merged; practice separating with light aspiration before final /z/ to ensure clarity. - Misplacing stress as re-SISTS; ensure the primary stress on the second syllable in neutral contexts. Practice with slow, then normal speed.
"The army resists the invasion despite heavy losses."
"A coating resists corrosion over decades."
"She resists the urge to interrupt during the meeting."
Pronounce as re-SISTS with secondary stress on the first syllable in careful speech but primary stress on the second: /rɪˈzɪsts/ (US) or /rɪˈzɪsts/; UK often /rɪˈzɪsts/. Start with a short, lax /ɹ/ sound, then /ɪ/ in the first syllable, and finish with /zɪsts/ where the final -s is voiced due to the preceding /t/; the t-influence can create a quick /t s/ cluster that breathes into /z/.
Common errors: misplacing stress (saying re-SISTS with wrong emphasis); pronouncing the final -s as /s/ instead of /z/ when the preceding sound is voiced; over-articulating the /t/ so it sounds like /t/ + /s/ without linking to /z/. Correction: keep the /ɪ/ in the first syllable short, then deliver the /z/ sound immediately after the /t/ so it blends into /z/ in /zɪsts/. Practice with minimal pair: resists vs resist's (incorrect). Emphasize the /z/ in the final cluster to reflect standard pronunciation.
In US/UK/AU, resists maintains the /ɹ/ initial, with secondary stress on the first syllable and primary on the second in typical speech: US /rəˈzɪsts/ or /rɪˈzɪsts/, UK /rɪˈzɪsts/, AU /rəˈzɪsts/. Rhotic accents tend to keep /r/; non-rhotic variants may achieve a slightly lighter r. Vowel quality in the middle syllable can shift: US tends to a slightly tighter /ɪ/; UK may have a marginally broader /ɪ/; AU often similar to US but with Australian vowel features, such as broader starting vowel and less pronounced diphthongization in some speakers.
Two main challenges: the two-syllable stress pattern with the final consonant cluster -sts requires precise voicing alignment; the final /z/ in /zɪsts/ can be tricky after a t-release, causing mispronunciations like /t sɪsts/ or /zɪst s/. Also, the /ɪ/ in the second syllable is short and clipped when spoken quickly, which can blur into /ɪ/ or /i/ depending on tempo. Focus on the sequence /ɹɪ-ˈzɪsts/ with smooth transition from /z/ to /ɪ/ to /sts/.
The key nuance is the pronunciation of the ending cluster -sts after a voiced consonant context; when preceding sound is voiced (as in /z/ cluster), the final /s/ tends to voice to /z/. The distinct word boundary can affect whether listeners perceive it as 're-sists' as a single word or part of a phrase; ensure crisp /z/ in the middle and a natural /z/ at the end. Also, maintain the /ɹ/ initial smoothly without vowel reduction.
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- US: rhotic /ɹ/ with clear /ə/ or /ɪ/ in the first syllable; US speakers often reduce unstressed vowels, so prepare for /rəˈzɪsts/ in faster speech. - UK: potentially slightly shorter first vowel, with more clipped /ɪ/; maintain non-rhotic tendencies in some contexts; /rəˈzɪsts/ remains natural. - AU: similar to US, but vowels can be broader; slight schwa reduction in the first syllable; maintain /ɹ/ grip. - IPA reference: US /rəˈzɪsts/, UK /rɪˈzɪsts/ (depending on dialect), AU /rəˈzɪsts/.
Resists comes from the Latin resistere, meaning to stand back, oppose, or withstand. resistere is a compound of re- (back, again) and sistere (to stand, set, place). In Late Latin, resistere evolved with sense shifts toward opposing, resisting, or standing against. Old French and Middle English borrowed related forms, with the modern English verb resist emerging around the 14th–15th centuries. The -s is the typical third-person singular present tense ending in English, attached to the verb stem resist. The pronunciation of the final -s can be voiced /z/ (as in resists) when the preceding sound is voiced, or voiceless /s/ in some phonetic environments, but in standard American and British English, resists typically ends with a voiced /z/ sound due to the preceding /t/ being followed by a voiced context, producing /ɪˈzɪsts/ or /rɪˈzɪsts/ depending on the preceding syllable stress. First known use in English citations appears in the early modern period as resisten or resist- forms integrating the -s suffix to form present-tense agreement.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "resists" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "resists"
-sts sounds
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