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 And yet, while resources for public services is restricted, the Cuban regime uses that cash hoard to build luxury hotels for tourism, even though the industry has been in freefall for years. Sarah Moreno updated April 29, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026 Critically, real-time prosecutions also are far less resource-intensive. Andrew S. Boutros, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 Edelson told Ars that the delay is simply because the legal team doesn’t have the resources to file so many lawsuits at once. Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2026 The school resource officer handled 93% of juvenile cases in the city. Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for resource
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resource
Noun
  • In a sign of the pressure for Republicans to take advantage of the opportunity, multiple hopefuls running for governor in GOP primaries called for immediate redraws.
    Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
  • What once felt like an opportunity to close has become something closer to a necessity.
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • All this in an environment where politicians like Jeff Bridges (running for state treasurer who lives in the Cherry Creek school district) whine and snivel about his associates in the teachers’ union not having the funds to effectively teach our kids.
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Small municipalities typically have neither the expertise nor the funds to adequately secure their infrastructure, leaving them open to intrusion.
    Sue Halpern, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Resource.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resource. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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