as in opportunity
something that one uses to accomplish an end especially when the usual means is not available
a toddler quickly learns that a tantrum is a surefire recourse when a polite request for something is met with parental indifference
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Recent Examples of recourse
That dynamic can leave tenants with limited recourse even when housing conditions are poor.
—
Stephen Martin, Oklahoma Watch, 24 Mar. 2026
This is not the only recourse, however.
—Chloe Breyer, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
Betrayed and with no recourse through legal channels, Yuta is plunged into a single harrowing night fighting through layers of organized crime to free his teenage sister from a trafficking network.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
Even if a person’s behavior smacked of espionage, the officer’s only recourse was to provide a free ride and a Slurpee.
—Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for recourse
Stephen Martin, Oklahoma Watch, 24 Mar. 2026
This is not the only recourse, however.
—Chloe Breyer, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
Betrayed and with no recourse through legal channels, Yuta is plunged into a single harrowing night fighting through layers of organized crime to free his teenage sister from a trafficking network.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
Even if a person’s behavior smacked of espionage, the officer’s only recourse was to provide a free ride and a Slurpee.
—Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for recourse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recourse
Noun
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Shifting the Hornets’ mentality Charlotte heads into the final weekend of the 2025-26 regular-season calendar, semi ahead of schedule with an opportunity to make some noise in the postseason for the first time in a decade.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
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Strategic opportunity, legal risk Environmental groups say the risks extend beyond criminal financing to broader ecological destruction if foreign investment accelerates extraction.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Many residents from rural areas have lived on the same land for generations, watching a cycle of outside companies profit from extracting the state’s resources — from timber to coal and oil and gas — only to pollute and abandon communities afterward.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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The alignment reflects a transactional relationship in which Washington gains access to strategic resources while Caracas seeks revenue and international legitimacy during a fragile transition.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Recourse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recourse. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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