Synonyms of resort

resort

noun

ri-ˈzȯrt 

1

as in haunt

a place for spending time or for socializing

the island port was once the resort of smugglers, pirates, and other unsavory characters

Synonyms & Similar Words

• haunt
• hangout
• rendezvous
• haven
• club
• refuge
• clubhouse
• stamping ground
• stomping ground
• country club
• camp
• service club
• retreat
• union
• purlieu
• sanctuary
• key club
• harbor
• nest
• canteen
• harborage

2

as in opportunity

something that one uses to accomplish an end especially when the usual means is not available

use this money only as a last resort

Synonyms & Similar Words

• opportunity
• recourse
• resource
• possibility
• expedient
• substitute
• replacement
• relief
• makeshift
• hope
• stopgap

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of resort are expedient, makeshift, resource, 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 is expedient a more appropriate choice than resort?

Although the words expedient and resort have much in common, expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

When can makeshift be used instead of resort?

In some situations, the words makeshift and resort are roughly equivalent. However, makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

When would shift be a good substitute for resort?

The meanings of shift and resort largely overlap; however, shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

When could stopgap be used to replace resort?

While the synonyms stopgap and resort are close in meaning, stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of resort

What was supposed to be the final day of a picture-perfect vacation quickly turned into a nightmare for one Pittsburgh-area family when a hazard in a resort pool caused a devastating injury to their young daughter. —Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026

Sektnan said the growth of last-resort insurance in California, including in lower-fire-risk areas, is due in part to its relatively low premiums. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026

Ski California did not have data on ridership at its resorts during the February blizzard, a spokesperson for the group said. —Sacbee.com, 14 Mar. 2026

Here are 12 great hotels and resorts for a skillcation. SUN, SAND, SMILES: Find paradise at Mexico’s most kid-friendly all-inclusive resorts 1. —Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026

Phrases Containing resort

• resort (to)