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

Target defines this by taking steps to eliminate waste, keep products and materials in use longer, and decrease its dependency on natural resources to develop and manufacture products. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 10 Oct. 2025

The United Nations estimates roughly 43 percent of Cameroonians live in poverty, lacking sufficient income, education, and health care even as the state continues to benefit from its natural resources. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025

But is there an economic return on investment in scouring Earth's moon for that natural resource? —Leonard David, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2025

Armed conflict on the northern plains increased from the 1850s into the 1860s as white settlers crossed deep into Indian Country, claiming the land and natural resources of Native nations. —Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025

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)