Resist Doing vs. Resist To Do
Oxford documents resist + -ing for an action someone tries not to do. Use “resist doing” for that direct complement; a direct “resist to do” construction is not the reviewed alternative pattern.
Use “resist doing,” not a direct “resist to do,” when resist means stop yourself from an action.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| stop yourself from performing an action | resist + -ing | Use the -ing form for the action being resisted. |
| oppose or withstand a noun/thing | resist + noun | A direct noun object is standard in the broader sense. |
| use direct “resist to do” as the equivalent action complement | not the standard pattern | Do not substitute a to-infinitive for the -ing complement in this meaning. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Are you naming the action someone is trying not to perform?
If yes: Use “resist doing.”
If no: If you are opposing a noun or force, use a noun object; direct “resist to do” is not the ordinary parallel complement.
Examples
I could not resist checking the result.
The -ing clause names the action that was hard to avoid.
The material resists moisture.
A noun object fits the broader withstand sense.
She resisted answering immediately.
The action being resisted appears in the -ing form.
Further guidance
Boundary
Do not convert the direct complement to “resist to do.” A to-infinitive elsewhere in the sentence can have another function.
Construction
Oxford documents “resist doing something” as the direct complement pattern.
Decision
Choose “resist doing” after resist for the action being resisted.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- resist — Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries · Resist + -ing complement pattern
- Verb patterns: verb + infinitive or verb + -ing? (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Verb-complement patterns, including verbs taking -ing, to-infinitive, or both with meaning differences