resort

1 of 3

noun

re·​sort ri-ˈzȯrt 

1

a

: one that affords aid or refuge : resource

went to them as a last/final resort

b

: recourse sense 1a

—often used with to

The police hope to end the standoff without resort to force.

2

a

: frequent, habitual, or general visiting

a place of popular resort

b

: persons who frequent a place : throng

c(1)

: a frequently visited place : haunt

(2)

: a place designed to provide recreation, entertainment, and accommodation especially to vacationers : a community or establishment whose purpose or main industry is catering to vacationers

resort

2 of 3

verb (1)

resorted; resorting; resorts

intransitive verb

1

: to go especially frequently or habitually : repair

2

: to have recourse

resolve the crisis without resorting to violence

re-sort

3 of 3

verb (2)

(ˌ)rē-ˈsȯrt 

re-sorted; re-sorting; re-sorts

transitive verb

: to sort again

Synonyms of resort

Noun

• haunt

Verb (1)

• go (to)
• consult
• turn (to)
• refer (to)

Choose the Right Synonym for resort

resource, resort, expedient, shift, makeshift, stopgap mean something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply.

resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.

exhausted all of their resources

a last resort

expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

Examples of resort in a Sentence

Noun

Our first resort was to go to the police.

the island port was once the resort of smugglers, pirates, and other unsavory characters

Verb (1)

unable to achieve their ends politically, some of the opposition groups have begun to resort to violence

resorted to the library whenever he felt the need for a little peace and quiet

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Stock Chart IconStock chart icon The discussions at the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock marked the first negotiations since Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding last week to end their conflict and extend a shaky ceasefire for at least 60 days. —Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 22 June 2026

With 171 holes, Boyne’s smorgasbord is second (barely) in the nation only to Pinehurst, America’s largest golf resort. —Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026

Verb

Court records state that both resort employees and police attempted to contact the singer and members of his team to address the incident, but received no response – ultimately prompting authorities to seek an arrest warrant. —Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026

Guests can also access nearby sister resort Marival Emotions Resort & Suites Riviera Nayarit, which features kids and teens clubs and a variety of family-friendly activities, and food and beverage outlets. —Chelsea Adams, USA Today, 20 June 2026

Verb

Putting even a small piece of trash in the recycling stream or non-compostable items in the compost bin can require additional effort to re-sort at processing facilities, which increases costs and energy usage, or contaminates the entire process altogether, ultimately creating more trash. —Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026

Pandemic assistance from the government helped level the playing field for a time, but by 2024, mounting inflation pressures and elevated interest rates had begun to re-sort consumers according to their ability to withstand financial stress. —Rob Wile, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, return, source of aid, from Anglo-French, from resortir to rebound, resort, from re- + Old French sortir to go out, leave

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1836, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing resort

• last resort
• resort to
• weapon of last resort
• without resort to

Rhymes for resort

• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• consort
• deport
• disport
• distort
• escort
• exhort

Kids Definition

resort

1 of 2 noun

re·​sort ri-ˈzȯ(ə)rt 

1

a

: someone or something that is looked to for help

a last resort

b

: recourse sense 1

have resort to force

2

a

: frequent, habitual, or general visiting

a place of popular resort

b

: a frequently visited place : hangout

c

: a place providing recreation and entertainment especially to vacationers

a ski resort

resort

2 of 2 verb

1

: to go especially frequently or habitually

2

: to turn to for aid, relief, or advantage

resort to violence