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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
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
That’s enough room to decline Champagnie’s option and re-up him on team-friendly terms for longer — a recent Thunder specialty — extend Johnson and Wembanyama and still have the wherewithal to address the rest of the roster.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 21 May 2026
China has the wherewithal to help on both counts—selling advanced weapons to Russia and reducing purchases of Iranian oil—though Xi has steadfastly refused to exert that leverage.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 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 1 Jun. 2026.
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