Definition of resourcenext
1
as in opportunity
something that one uses to accomplish an end especially when the usual means is not available we used every possible resource to raise the funds needed to save our town's oldest house

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word resource different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of resource are expedient, makeshift, resort, shift, and stopgap. While all these words mean "something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply," resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.

exhausted all of their resources
a last resort

When can expedient be used instead of resource?

The synonyms expedient and resource are sometimes interchangeable, but expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

When could makeshift be used to replace resource?

The meanings of makeshift and resource largely overlap; however, makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

Where would shift be a reasonable alternative to resource?

While in some cases nearly identical to resource, shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

When is stopgap a more appropriate choice than resource?

Although the words stopgap and resource have much in common, stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of resource Again, the goal is the end of the conflict and allow humanitarian resources to flow into those areas. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026 NewsNation can tap into resources from dozens of Nexstar stations around the country, and will have its own correspondents spread out around the nation. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026 And Russia’s domestic financial resources already have been extensively drawn down. — David McHugh, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026 Humanity watched in awe as the capitalist and communist worlds competed to see which could better marshal its resources and science to venture into space. — Ethan Teekah All, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for resource
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resource
Noun
  • Culver, on the other hand, has practiced as both a prosecutor and assistant public defender, according him ample opportunity to meet juries in county court.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
  • That dream came true during the pandemic, when the two saw an opportunity to develop a hospitality concept that would remain true to the agricultural character of the property and feed people's ever-growing desire to be out in nature.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Prosecutors allege Wallace embezzled about $390,000 from the church’s coffers between April 2019 and September 2025, spending some of the funds on rent and travel expenses.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
  • A couple years later, on the verge of being demolished and replaced by several new McMansions, fund manager and seasonal Watch Hill resident Charles Royce stepped in to salvage its history.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Resource.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resource. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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