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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 Dial 2-1-1 to get connected with local mental health resources, support groups, or counseling services that fit your needs. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2025 The agreement could provide a windfall to the U.S., but the resources will be expensive to extract, and any progress is unlikely while the war rages. Michael Crowley, New York Times, 2 May 2025 The deal covers minerals, including rare earth elements, but also other valuable resources, including oil and natural gas, according to the text released by Ukraine's government. Alain Sherter, CBS News, 2 May 2025 When applying a lean methodology, optimize all of your workflows to maximize the value to customers while using the least possible amount of resources. Mindaugas Čaplinskas, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for resource
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resource
Noun
  • But the online Osaka Virtual Expo could attract over 250 million, allowing people who cannot travel to Japan an opportunity to experience the expo, nearly quadrupling the in-person attendance record set by Shanghai Expo in 2010.
    Matt Shaw, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • Afterward, he was given plenty of opportunities to trash-talk.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 4 May 2025
Noun
  • Kerns's track record highlights his knowledge and skills, having served over 5,000 clients and multiple active funds under management.
    Rhiannon Frater, USA Today, 1 May 2025
  • Unlike most of football’s recent risers, Glimt’s ascent has not coincided with a takeover from a billionaire or sovereign wealth fund.
    Elias Burke, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Resource.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resource. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on resource

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