1
a
: one that affords aid or refuge : resource
went to them as a last/final resort
b
: recourse sense 1a
—often used with to
The police hope to end the standoff without resort to force.
2
a
: frequent, habitual, or general visiting
a place of popular resort
b
: persons who frequent a place : throng
c(1)
: a frequently visited place : haunt
(2)
: a place designed to provide recreation, entertainment, and accommodation especially to vacationers : a community or establishment whose purpose or main industry is catering to vacationers
resorted; resorting; resorts
1
: to go especially frequently or habitually : repair
2
: to have recourse
resolve the crisis without resorting to violence
Examples of resort in a Sentence
Noun
Our first resort was to go to the police.
the island port was once the resort of smugglers, pirates, and other unsavory characters
Verb (1)
unable to achieve their ends politically, some of the opposition groups have begun to resort to violence
resorted to the library whenever he felt the need for a little peace and quiet
Recent Examples on the Web
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
Over the past several decades Hilton Head Health evolved into a wellness resort that includes programs on nutrition, movement, mindset, stress recovery and exercise.
—Judy Koutsky, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
To further explore business opportunities, the brand will also attend the Cabana Show, which runs in Miami May 30 to June 1 and targets resort and travel lifestyle brands, which is in tune with Collanine Colorate’s summery ethos and past activations.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
Pandemic assistance from the government helped level the playing field for a time, but by 2024, mounting inflation pressures and elevated interest rates had begun to re-sort consumers according to their ability to withstand financial stress.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for resort
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The year-round surf breaks—including the fast-barreling tubes of Cloud 9, some 30 minutes from the resort—draw most visitors to the island, and Nay Palad’s team has a Rolodex of pro surf instructors on call to show guests the best waves.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
Over the past several decades Hilton Head Health evolved into a wellness resort that includes programs on nutrition, movement, mindset, stress recovery and exercise.
—Judy Koutsky, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Verb
To survive these transformations, rich states have resorted among other things to the ever greater exploitation, not only of poor states, but also of the human and ecological capital housed within them.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
To further explore business opportunities, the brand will also attend the Cabana Show, which runs in Miami May 30 to June 1 and targets resort and travel lifestyle brands, which is in tune with Collanine Colorate’s summery ethos and past activations.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
Verb
Putting even a small piece of trash in the recycling stream or non-compostable items in the compost bin can require additional effort to re-sort at processing facilities, which increases costs and energy usage, or contaminates the entire process altogether, ultimately creating more trash.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
Pandemic assistance from the government helped level the playing field for a time, but by 2024, mounting inflation pressures and elevated interest rates had begun to re-sort consumers according to their ability to withstand financial stress.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for resort
Cite this Entry
“Resort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resort. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
resort
1 of 2 noun
re·sort
ri-ˈzȯ(ə)rt 
1
a
: someone or something that is looked to for help
a last resort
b
: recourse sense 1
have resort to force
2
a
: frequent, habitual, or general visiting
a place of popular resort
b
: a frequently visited place : hangout
c
: a place providing recreation and entertainment especially to vacationers
a ski resort
resort
2 of 2 verb1
: to go especially frequently or habitually
2
: to turn to for aid, relief, or advantage
resort to violence
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