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If wherewithal sounds like three words smashed together, that’s because it is—sort of. Wherewithal combines where and withal, an adverb from Middle English that is itself a combination of with and all. In the past, wherewithal was used as a conjunction meaning "with or by means of which" and as a pronoun meaning "that with or by which." Today, however, it is almost always used as a noun to refer to the means or resources a person or entity has at their disposal. It refers especially to financial resources, but other means such as social influence, ability, and emotional capacity may also be termed as "wherewithal."
Examples of wherewithal in a Sentence
Tim Britton, New York Times, 1 June 2026
How the college responds could be a test of higher education’s wherewithal to withstand a hostile executive branch.
—Marie-Amelie George, The Conversation, 28 May 2026
Luckey has one possible answer to that problem in his suggestion that the United States put more emphasis on giving allies the wherewithal to defend themselves.
—William Hartung, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
The Heat has the financial wherewithal to likely re-sign its own top pending free agent, Powell, and still be in play for Antetokounmpo.
—Greg Cote
may 25, Miami Herald, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wherewithal
Cite this Entry
“Wherewithal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wherewithal. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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