natural resource

noun

1

natural resources plural : industrial materials and capacities (such as mineral deposits and waterpower) supplied by nature

2

: resource sense 1b

Examples of natural resource in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With humanity’s ecological interchange with nature subsumed and directed by capital’s endless circuits of accumulation, the exploitation of natural resources and the aggregation of waste ensues. — Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026

Pests and diseases destroy up to 40 percent of global crop production each year, pushing down rural incomes, driving up consumer prices, and wasting natural resources. — Anna Nelson, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026

Arkansas diamonds, Maine tourmalines, Montana sapphires, North Carolina emeralds and California kunzite trace a geological map of the country and Tiffany’s use of its natural resources. — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026

Manufacturing lost 17,000 jobs, professional and business services was off 16,000, and both natural resources and mining as well as trade, transportation and utilities reported declines of 5,000. — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

natural resource

noun

: something (as a mineral, waterpower source, forest, or kind of animal) that is found in nature and is valuable to humans (as in providing a source of energy, recreation, or scenic beauty)