Engineering English
Resistance
Electrical Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: The property of a material or component that opposes the flow of electric charge and converts electrical energy into heat. It is measured in ohms.
Example in context
“Corroded terminals added enough resistance to the connection that the joint overheated under normal load and eventually discoloured the insulation.”
“Korozyona uğramış klemensler bağlantıya o kadar direnç ekledi ki, birleşim normal yükte aşırı ısındı ve sonunda yalıtımın rengi değişti.”
Where engineers use it
Resistance is checked during continuity tests, insulation surveys, and joint inspections. Designers use it to predict voltage drop and heat dissipation, while maintenance staff use rising values as an early warning of degraded connections.
Synonyms: electrical resistance, ohmic resistance
Antonyms: conductance
Practice: can you use “Resistance” at work?
During a maintenance inspection you find one busbar joint noticeably warmer than its neighbours. Explain what resistance measurement you would take and how you would interpret it.
Show a model answer
“High resistance in that joint is causing the connection to heat up.”
“Resistance” in 21 languages
| English | Resistance |
|---|---|
| Turkish | direnç |
| French | résistance |
| German | Widerstand |
| Spanish | resistencia |
| Chinese | 电阻 |
| Arabic | المقاومة الكهربائية |
| Portuguese | resistência |
| Russian | сопротивление |
| Japanese | 抵抗 |
| Italian | resistenza |
| Vietnamese | điện trở |
| Hindi | प्रतिरोध |
| Thai | ความต้านทานไฟฟ้า |
| Indonesian | hambatan listrik |
| Korean | 저항 |
| Bengali | রোধ |
| Dutch | weerstand |
| Swedish | resistans |
| Finnish | resistanssi |
| Ukrainian | опір |
Frequently asked questions
What does Resistance mean in engineering?
The property of a material or component that opposes the flow of electric charge and converts electrical energy into heat. It is measured in ohms. In Electrical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Resistance?
Resistance is pronounced /rɪˈzɪstəns/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Resistance used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “Corroded terminals added enough resistance to the connection that the joint overheated under normal load and eventually discoloured the insulation.”
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