Resilient vs. Strong: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Resilient means able to recover quickly from difficulties; strong refers to having the power to withstand force or stress, physically or mentally.
Key Differences
Resilience is about adaptability and recovery from challenges, focusing on the ability to bounce back. Strength, on the other hand, refers to the capacity to withstand or exert force, either physically or mentally.
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Nov 29, 2023
Resilience often applies to emotional or psychological contexts, indicating the ability to cope with stress or hardship. Strength is more general, applying to both physical capabilities and mental fortitude.
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Resilience implies a sustained ability to deal with ongoing challenges, often growing stronger from them. Strength may not necessarily involve adaptation or improvement through challenges.
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Resilience is typically seen as an inherent or developed trait, often built through overcoming adversity. Strength can be innate or developed through training and exercise, both physically and mentally.
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Resilience is often focused on long-term outcomes and the ability to maintain or return to a baseline state. Strength is more about immediate capacity and power, whether physical or mental.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Ability to recover from difficulties
Capacity for exertion or endurance
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Resilient and Strong Definitions
Resilient
Flexible under pressure
The resilient material bent but did not break under stress.
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Resilient
Enduring through adversity
He showed his resilient nature by overcoming personal loss.
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Resilient
Capable of bouncing back
Her resilient spirit meant that failure was never the end of her journey.
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Resilient
Adaptable to hardship
Despite numerous setbacks, she remained resilient, always finding a way forward.
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Strong
In good or sound health; robust
A strong constitution.
A strong heart.
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Resilient
Quick to recover
After the flood, the resilient community rebuilt their homes swiftly.
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Resilient
Capable of returning to an original shape or position, as after having been compressed.
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Strong
Having force of character, will, morality, or intelligence
A strong personality.
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Strong
Having or showing ability or achievement in a specified field
Students who are strong in chemistry.
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Resilient
Returning quickly to original shape after force is applied; elastic.
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Resilient
(materials science) Having the ability to absorb energy when deformed.
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Strong
Capable of withstanding force or wear; solid, tough, or firm
A strong building.
A strong fabric.
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Resilient
Having the ability to recover from mental illness, trauma, etc.; having resilience.
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Strong
Not easily upset; resistant to harmful or unpleasant influences
Strong nerves.
A strong stomach.
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Resilient
Rebounds readily;
Clean bouncy hair
A lively tennis ball
As resiliant as seasoned hickory
Springy turf
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Strong
Having force of conviction or feeling; uncompromising
Strong faith.
A strong supporter.
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Strong
Having an intense or offensive effect on the senses
Strong light.
Strong vinegar.
Strong cologne.
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Strong
Readily noticeable; remarkable
A strong resemblance.
A strong contrast.
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Strong
Having a high concentration of an essential or active ingredient
Mixed a strong solution of bleach and water.
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Strong
Having a specified number of units or members
A military force 100,000 strong.
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Strong
Of or relating to those verbs in Germanic languages that form their past tense by a change in stem vowel, and their past participles by a change in stem vowel and sometimes by adding the suffix -(e)n, as sing, sang, sung or tear, tore, torn.
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Strong
Of or relating to the inflection of nouns or adjectives in Germanic languages with endings that historically did not contain a suffix with an n.
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Strong
Stressed or accented in pronunciation or poetic meter. Used of a word or syllable.
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Strong
In a strong, powerful, or vigorous manner; forcefully
A salesperson who comes on too strong.
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Strong
Capable of producing great physical force.
A big strong man; Jake was tall and strong
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Strong
Capable of withstanding great physical force.
A strong foundation; good strong shoes
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Strong
(of water, wind, etc.) Having a lot of power.
The man was nearly drowned after a strong undercurrent swept him out to sea.
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Strong
Having a high concentration of an essential or active ingredient.
A strong cup of coffee; a strong medicine
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Strong
(specifically) Having a high alcoholic content.
A strong drink
She gets up, and pours herself a strong one. - Eagles, Lying Eyes
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Strong
(grammar) Inflecting in a different manner than the one called weak, such as Germanic verbs which change vowels.
A strong verb
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Strong
(chemistry) That completely ionizes into anions and cations in a solution.
A strong acid;
A strong base
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Strong
Impressive, good.
You're working with troubled youth in your off time? That’s strong!
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Strong
Having a specified number of people or units.
The enemy's army force was five thousand strong.
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Strong
Having a wide range of logical consequences; widely applicable. (Often contrasted with a weak statement which it implies.)
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Strong
Having active physical power, or great physical power to act; having a power of exerting great bodily force; vigorous.
That our oxen may be strong to labor.
Orses the strong to greater strength must yield.
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Strong
Having passive physical power; having ability to bear or endure; firm; hale; sound; robust; as, a strong constitution; strong health.
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Strong
Solid; tough; not easily broken or injured; able to withstand violence; able to sustain attacks; not easily subdued or taken; as, a strong beam; a strong rock; a strong fortress or town.
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Strong
Having great military or naval force; powerful; as, a strong army or fleet; a nation strong at sea.
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Strong
Having great wealth, means, or resources; as, a strong house, or company of merchants.
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Strong
Reaching a certain degree or limit in respect to strength or numbers; as, an army ten thousand strong.
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Strong
Moving with rapidity or force; violent; forcible; impetuous; as, a strong current of water or wind; the wind was strong from the northeast; a strong tide.
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Strong
Adapted to make a deep or effectual impression on the mind or imagination; striking or superior of the kind; powerful; forcible; cogent; as, a strong argument; strong reasons; strong evidence; a strong example; strong language.
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Strong
Ardent; eager; zealous; earnestly engaged; as, a strong partisan; a strong Whig or Tory.
Her mother, ever strong against that match.
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Strong
Having virtues of great efficacy; or, having a particular quality in a great degree; as, a strong powder or tincture; a strong decoction; strong tea or coffee.
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Strong
Full of spirit; containing a large proportion of alcohol; intoxicating; as, strong liquors.
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Strong
Affecting any sense powerfully; as, strong light, colors, etc.; a strong flavor of onions; a strong scent.
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Strong
Well established; firm; not easily overthrown or altered; as, a strong custom; a strong belief.
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Strong
Violent; vehement; earnest; ardent.
He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears.
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Strong
Having great force, vigor, power, or the like, as the mind, intellect, or any faculty; as, a man of a strong mind, memory, judgment, or imagination.
I was stronger in prophecy than in criticism.
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Strong
Vigorous; effective; forcible; powerful.
Like her sweet voice is thy harmonious song,As high, as sweet, as easy, and as strong.
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Strong
Pertaining to, or designating, a verb which forms its preterit (imperfect) by a variation in the root vowel, and the past participle (usually) by the addition of -en (with or without a change of the root vowel); as in the verbs strive, strove, striven; break, broke, broken; drink, drank, drunk. Opposed to weak, or regular. See Weak.
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Strong
Having strength or power greater than average or expected;
A strong radio signal
Strong medicine
A strong man
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Strong
Having or wielding force or authority;
Providing the ground soldier with increasingly potent weapons
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Strong
Having a strong physiological or chemical effect;
A potent toxin
Potent liquor
A potent cup of tea
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Strong
Able to withstand attack;
An impregnable fortress
Fortifications that made the frontier inviolable
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Strong
Of good quality and condition; solidly built;
A solid foundation
Several substantial timber buildings
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Strong
Of verbs not having standard (or regular) inflection;
`sing' is a strong verb
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Strong
Physically powerful
The strong athlete lifted the heavy weights with ease.
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Strong
Mentally determined
Her strong will helped her succeed in her career.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can someone be strong but not resilient?
Yes, one can have immediate strength but struggle with long-term adversity.
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Is resilience a personality trait?
It's more of a developed skill than an innate trait.
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Do resilient people never feel overwhelmed?
Resilient people can feel overwhelmed but are adept at recovering.
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Is strength always physical?
No, strength can be mental or emotional as well.
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Can strength be emotional?
Yes, emotional strength involves coping with feelings effectively.
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Are resilient people always optimistic?
Not necessarily, but they tend to have a positive outlook on recovery.
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Can strength be a weakness?
Overreliance on strength can lead to neglecting other aspects.
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Can resilience be learned?
Yes, resilience can be developed through experiences and coping strategies.
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Is resilience the same as endurance?
They overlap but resilience focuses more on recovery than enduring.
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Does physical strength contribute to mental strength?
Physical strength can boost confidence, impacting mental strength.
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Can resilience decrease?
Without challenges, resilience can diminish, but it can be regained.
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Can strong people be vulnerable?
Yes, strength doesn't preclude vulnerability.
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Do resilient people avoid stress?
They don't necessarily avoid stress but manage it effectively.
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Is resilience innate or acquired?
It's typically acquired through life experiences.
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How does resilience affect mental health?
It generally improves mental health by enhancing coping mechanisms.
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Is mental strength measurable?
It's subjective but can be inferred through behavior and achievements.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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