resort

noun

ri-ˈzȯrt How to pronounce resort (audio)
Definition of resortnext
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

Relevance
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

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

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 resort The outdoor living area includes a kitchen and a resort-style pool. —Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026 Across the state, event planners, resort crews and thrill-seeking couples have learned to treat blizzards like background noise. —Ella Cobb, Denver Post, 26 Jan. 2026 The area The resort’s location is both connected to and separate from the busier areas of Dubai. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2026 In Shirahama, a resort destination tucked away on the southern coast of Japan, shops selling panda merchandise, and ramen bars serving up noodles themed on the bears, were left in limbo. —Chris Lau, CNN Money, 25 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for resort
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resort
  1. haunt
  2. opportunity
  3. recourse
  4. resource
Noun
  • Snugly tucked inside a historic hotel in Portland’s West End, Wayside Tavern quickly solidified itself as a regular haunt among visitors and locals alike.
    — Emma Simard, Saveur, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Terror on Church Street, a year-round haunt, opens in downtown Orlando.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
Definition of haunt
Noun
  • Job seekers in health care may have been able to find work, while opportunities in other sectors were more limited.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Maryland’s future should not be defined by higher costs, bigger government and shrinking opportunity.
    — Steve Hershey, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of opportunity
Noun
  • But there’s little recourse for local parents to combat a problem resonating nationwide.
    — Sam Blum, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Their grief is rendered with the utmost sensitivity that the audience has no recourse but to share it with them.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026
Definition of recourse
Noun
  • Microbes could be the future space miners, helping humans survive on long-term missions by extracting mineral resources from extraterrestrial rocks.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Additional police resources were deployed to the area from neighboring detachments, along with the North District Emergency Response Team.
    — Alexandra Koch , Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of resource

Phrases Containing resort

Browse Nearby Words

resonating
resort
resorted (to)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Resort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resort. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on resort

Nglish: Translation of resort for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

What does 'etcetera' mean?

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?

Why Is the Letter ‘Z’ Associated With Sleeping?

The Words of the Week - Feb. 13

Why do we call it 'ides of March'?
See More

Popular

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida
Guess the Curious Origins of These Everyday Words Oh, that’s where that comes from…
See All