Resistance vs. Immunity: What's the Difference?
Edited by Huma Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on September 29, 2023
Resistance refers to the ability to fight off or withstand something, often partially or temporarily, while immunity implies a complete, often permanent, inability to get a specific disease or be affected by a particular agent.
Key Differences
Resistance is the ability of an organism to counteract the effects of an adverse agent partially or temporarily. Immunity, on the other hand, signifies a more complete protection against a particular agent, often permanent in nature.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
In the context of diseases, resistance often means that an individual might still contract an illness but experience milder symptoms. Immunity, however, implies that the individual will not contract the disease at all.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
The mechanisms behind resistance can be genetic, physiological, or developed through exposure. Immunity usually involves the immune system's specific response to a previously encountered pathogen, resulting in lasting protection.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
In social and legal contexts, resistance refers to opposition against a force or system, whereas immunity refers to an exemption from certain laws or obligations.
Harlon Moss
Sep 17, 2023
While resistance often requires continuous exposure or effort to maintain, immunity is generally long-lasting and requires less maintenance.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Meaning
Partial or temporary ability to withstand
Complete, often permanent, protection
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Sep 17, 2023
Mechanism
Can be genetic, physiological, or acquired
Usually involves specific immune response
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Sep 17, 2023
Maintenance
May require ongoing effort or exposure
Generally long-lasting, less maintenance
Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
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Resistance and Immunity Definitions
Resistance
Opposition to a force or influence.
The resistance movement fought against the dictatorship.
Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
Immunity
Protection against a specific disease.
Vaccination provides immunity against measles.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Resistance
The ability to withstand adverse conditions.
The plant shows resistance to drought.
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Sep 17, 2023
Immunity
Legal exemption.
Diplomatic immunity protects ambassadors from prosecution.
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Sep 17, 2023
Resistance
Psychological resilience.
His emotional resistance helped him during hard times.
Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
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Immunity
Psychological resilience.
Her mental immunity helped her cope with stress.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 17, 2023
Immunity
Social protection.
His popularity gave him a certain immunity in the community.
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Sep 17, 2023
Immunity
The quality or condition of being immune
“His above-average size during adolescence did not purchase immunity from the depredations of school bullies” (Stephen S. Hall).
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
Often Resistance An underground organization engaged in a struggle for national liberation in a country under military or totalitarian occupation.
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
(Immunology) Inherited, acquired, or induced resistance to infection by a specific pathogen.
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
(Psychology) A process in which the ego opposes the conscious recall of anxiety-producing experiences.
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
Exemption from certain generally applicable requirements of law or from certain liabilities, granted to special groups of people to facilitate the performance of their public functions
Diplomatic immunity.
Judicial immunity.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
Ability (of an organism, tissue, or cell) to withstand a destructive agent or condition such as a chemical compound, a disease agent, or an environmental stressor
Antibiotic resistance.
Resistance to fungal diseases.
Drought resistance.
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
Exemption from prosecution granted to a witness to compel that witness to give potentially self-incriminating testimony that otherwise could not be compelled because of the constitutional right against self-incrimination.
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
Lack of normal response to a biologically active compound such as a hormone
Insulin resistance.
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
(Electricity) The opposition of a body or substance to current passing through it, resulting in a change of electrical energy into heat or another form of energy.
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
A condition conferred upon a contestant that prevents that contestant from being eliminated from a competition for a certain time period
The winner of the challenge was given immunity for the following challenge.
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
(uncountable) The state of being insusceptible to something; notably:
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
The act of resisting, or the capacity to resist.
Widespread resistance to the new urban development plans
The resistance of bacteria to certain antibiotics
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
(medicine) protective resistance against disease.
Some people have better immunity to diseases than others.
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
(law) An exemption from specified duties, such as payments or services.
Feudal privileges often included tax and other immunities.
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
(law) An exemption from prosecution.
The prosecutor offered the lieutenant immunity for all the crimes he would testify having known to be planned by the elusive drug baron.
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
An underground organisation engaged in a struggle for liberation from forceful occupation; a resistance movement.
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
The act of resisting; opposition, passive or active.
When King Demetrius saw that . . . no resistance was made against him, he sent away all his forces.
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
(in games and competitions) An exemption given to a player from losing or being withdrawn from play.
After winning the last round the player was granted immunity which allowed him to stay in the game even after receiving the fewest points.
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
The quality of not yielding to force or external pressure; that power of a body which acts in opposition to the impulse or pressure of another, or which prevents the effect of another power; as, the resistance of the air to a body passing through it; the resistance of a target to projectiles.
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
(countable) A resistance to a specific thing.
Superbugs are bacteria that develop an immunity to antibiotics.
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Resistance
A means or method of resisting; that which resists.
Unfold to us some warlike resistance.
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Apr 29, 2023
Immunity
Freedom or exemption from any charge, duty, obligation, office, tax, imposition, penalty, or service; a particular privilege; as, the immunities of the free cities of Germany; the immunities of the clergy.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
A certain hindrance or opposition to the passage of an electrical current or discharge offered by conducting bodies. It bears an inverse relation to the conductivity, - good conductors having a small resistance, while poor conductors or insulators have a very high resistance. The unit of resistance is the ohm.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
The action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with;
He encountered a general feeling of resistance from many citizens
Despite opposition from the newspapers he went ahead
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
A material's opposition to the flow of electric current; measured in ohms
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
The military action of resisting the enemy's advance;
The enemy offered little resistance
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
A secret group organized to overthrow a government or occupation force
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Immunity
Resistance to a poison or toxin.
The king had immunity to the poison.
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Sep 17, 2023
Resistance
The degree of unresponsiveness of a disease-causing microorganism to antibiotics or other drugs (as in penicillin-resistant bacteria)
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
(psychiatry) an unwillingness to bring repressed feelings into conscious awareness
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Apr 29, 2023
Resistance
Reduced susceptibility to a drug.
The bacteria developed antibiotic resistance.
Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
FAQs
What is immunity?
Immunity implies complete, often permanent, protection against a specific agent.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Can resistance turn into immunity?
Sometimes, but usually resistance offers only partial or temporary protection.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Is immunity always permanent?
Not necessarily; immunity can wane or be short-lived.
Harlon Moss
Sep 17, 2023
Is resistance always biological?
No, resistance can be mechanical, electrical, or even social.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 17, 2023
What is resistance?
Resistance refers to the ability to fight off or withstand something.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Is immunity only biological?
No, immunity can also be legal, like diplomatic immunity.
Harlon Moss
Sep 17, 2023
Can you have resistance to stress?
Yes, psychological resistance to stress is possible.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 17, 2023
How is immunity confirmed?
Immunity is often confirmed through tests measuring antibodies or protection against exposure.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Can immunity be artificially induced?
Yes, vaccines are a way to artificially induce immunity.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 17, 2023
Is there such a thing as social immunity?
Social immunity can refer to a collective form of protection within a group.
Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
Can animals have resistance and immunity?
Yes, animals can have both biological resistance and immunity to various agents.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
Is immunity a right or a privilege?
Immunity is generally considered a biological feature, but in legal terms, it may be a privilege.
Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
Can resistance be a bad thing?
Yes, like in the case of antibiotic resistance.
Janet White
Sep 17, 2023
Is resistance always a conscious act?
No, resistance can be an unconscious biological function.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
How is resistance measured?
Resistance can be quantified using various metrics, depending on the context.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 17, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Huma SaeedHuma is a renowned researcher acclaimed for her innovative work in Difference Wiki. Her dedication has led to key breakthroughs, establishing her prominence in academia. Her contributions continually inspire and guide her field.
