-ˌthȯl
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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
Josh Robbins, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Failing to give the IRS the wherewithal to collect those taxes makes no sense.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 May 2025
Costner said living in the West was difficult, and history shows many people were forced to live there without the wherewithal to do so.
—Janelle Ash , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2025
Contrary to what is widely believed, Europeans have most of the military wherewithal needed to create such a force.
—Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wherewithal
Cite this Entry
“Wherewithal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wherewithal. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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