Resilience

noun (uncountable; also countable in technical senses)

/rɪˈzɪliəns/

The ability of a system, community, or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, adapt to, and recover from the effects of a disaster in a timely and efficient manner.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

India's developmental trajectory will ultimately be judged not by the height of its growth in boom years but by the resilience of its institutions and its poorest households in the face of climate shocks, pandemics and global financial volatility.

Synonyms

elasticitybuoyancyrobustnesshardinessadaptabilityfortitude

Antonyms

fragilityvulnerabilitybrittlenessrigidity

🌱 Word Family

resilient (adj), resiliently (adv), resiliency (n), non-resilient (adj)

🔡 Root

Latin resilīre = to spring back; re- = back + salīre = to leap, jump; first English use 1626 (Francis Bacon)

📜 Etymology

From Latin resilīre ("to spring back, recoil"), from re- ("back") + salīre ("to leap, jump"); first recorded in English in 1626 in the writing of Francis Bacon.

🧠 Memory Hook

Root re- ("back") + salire ("to leap") — think of a spring that LEAPS BACK into shape; a resilient person, like that spring, bounces back from every blow.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Prelims 2025 — Climate Change
Mains 2024 · GS3 · 15 marks — Disaster Management

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Resilience” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

⚠️ Disaster Management 📖 Seen in: Disaster Management — Framework, Prepa...

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