What does resile mean?
Resile means to withdraw, retreat, or abandon a position, commitment, or claim. The word often appears in formal or legal contexts, particularly in the expression “resile from” a claim, agreement, or proceeding. It can also describe a physical recoil, as when something springs back because it encounters resistance, though this use is less common in everyday speech. Resile carries a sense of retreat rather than straightforward inactivity: the person or party had been involved, committed, or advanced, but then withdrew. In contemporary prose, “withdraw,” “retreat,” or “back out” may be preferable because they are more familiar and flexible. Nevertheless, resile is useful when precision demands that the withdrawal itself, rather than the continuation of an activity, be emphasized. Its unusual sound and vivid history also make it a useful word for formal writing.
verbTo withdraw from a position, commitment, or claim, especially by backing away or abandoning an agreement. In legal and historical contexts, it can also mean to recoil or spring back.
- To withdraw from a position, commitment, agreement, or claim.
- To recoil or retreat, especially in response to resistance or danger.
- In legal usage, to abandon or discontinue a claim, proceeding, or action.
"The company decided to resile from the agreement after the terms proved unacceptable."
"Several members of the committee resiled from the proposal once its financial implications became clear."
"The defendant resiled from the proceedings after reaching an agreement with the plaintiff."
Resile hides a miniature leap: the word comes from a Latin verb meaning to leap back or withdraw.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of resile
Resile comes from Latin resilire, meaning “to leap back” or “withdraw,” formed from re- and salire, “to leap.” The English word entered use in the early 16th century, initially in senses connected with withdrawing, retreating, or springing back. Its Latin relatives include resilient, meaning able to recover or rebound, and salient, meaning leaping or prominent; sally and assault also ultimately connect with the same root.
Related word forms
How resile is actually used
This is a formal and relatively uncommon verb. It is especially associated with legal, political, and historical writing, where it often takes the preposition “from.” In modern general English, “withdraw,” “back out,” or “resign” will usually sound more natural.
Easily confused with resile
To resile is to withdraw or recoil, whereas to be resilient is to recover quickly from difficulty or adapt successfully to adversity.