resilience

This term describes a dynamic process of bouncing back rather than a static state of strength. While toughness implies an unbreakable surface that resists pressure, resilience suggests a flexible capacity to bend under stress and return to an original state. It carries a strong positive connotation of growth and survival in the face of adversity. In a technical or material sense, the word refers to the physical property of elasticity. It is an uncountable noun, meaning it does not have a plural form when referring to the general quality of being resilient. To quantify it, one must use partitive constructions such as a degree of resilience or a level of resilience.