-ˌthȯl
Did you know?
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
David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
And this new college football world — where players are free agents every year — has dramatically benefitted Miami because of the Canes’ knack for luring top players (Cam Ward, Carson Beck, many others) and their financial wherewithal to offer them competitive NIL deals.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
Critics say the strategy can amount to entrapment of mentally vulnerable people who wouldn’t have the wherewithal to act alone.
—Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
Firefly Aerospace Time was, only government space programs had the wherewithal to land spacecraft on the moon.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 18 Dec. 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 15 Jan. 2026.
Copy Citation
