wherewithal

1 of 3

noun

where·​with·​al ˈ(h)wer-wi-ˌt͟hȯl  -ˌthȯl 

: means, resources

specifically : money

didn't have the wherewithal for an expensive dinner

wherewithal

2 of 3

conjunction

: wherewith

wherewithal

3 of 3

pronoun

: wherewith

Did you know?

Wherewithal comes from where and withal (meaning "with"), and it has been used as a conjunction meaning "with or by means of which" and as a pronoun meaning "that with or by which." These days, however, it is almost always used as a noun referring to the means or resources a person has at one's disposal—especially financial resources.

Synonyms

Noun

• bankroll
• coffers
• exchequer
• finances
• fund
• pocket
• resources

Examples of wherewithal in a Sentence

Noun

A project as big as this requires a lot of financial wherewithal.

He doesn't have the wherewithal to finish what he started.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For now, what drive the marketplace are talent and the financial wherewithal to take big risks for even bigger rewards. —Joe Drape, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024

The park had already begun this work, but now will have the wherewithal to join forces with Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and other parks to escalate the fight. —Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 21 Feb. 2024

While quite a few NFL teams have the wherewithal to make significant upgrades during the 2024 offseason, several others – including a handful of 2023 playoff outfits – will have to get awfully creative in order to merely tread water (looking at you, Tampa Bay Buccaneers). —Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024

By refusing to enforce sanctions put in place to deny Iran the financial wherewithal to fund terror groups like Hamas, Biden made the Oct. 7 attack more likely, an attack that saw Hamas kill more than 1,300 Israelis in ways that stagger the mind. —Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 27 Jan. 2024

But their adorable nicknames and amusing features shouldn’t be mistaken for weakness—tardigrades are one of Earth’s most resilient creatures, possessing a near-immortality and a wherewithal to survive extreme conditions that has intrigued scientists for centuries. —Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Jan. 2024

The first is the financial wherewithal, the second part is the willingness to invest, and that’s a more qualitative analysis. —Michael Silverman, BostonGlobe.com, 23 June 2023

Viasat doesn’t have the wherewithal to spend that much, according to analysts. —Mike Freeman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2023

After this week, I’m increasingly convinced that Google has the wherewithal to make the best Android smartwatch in the not-too-distant future. —Brandon Widder, The Verge, 16 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Conjunction

where + withal entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1809, in the meaning defined above

Conjunction

1534, in the meaning defined above

Pronoun

1583, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

wherewithal

noun

where·​with·​al

ˈhwe(ə)r-wit͟h-ˌȯl,

ˈhwa(ə)r-,

ˈwe(ə)r-,

ˈwa(ə)r-,

-with-

: wealth sense 1, resources

especially : money sense 1b

the wherewithal to buy a house