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

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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 That's a big issue for a mid-altitude ski resort like the Adelboden-Lenk area, whose roughly 200 kilometers (125 miles) of slopes span an altitude between 1,000 and 2,300 meters (3,280 and 7,545 feet). ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 The Florida resort also spruced up classic favorite attractions, like Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, while giving a new Muppets theme to its old Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026 By this time of year, the college kids who staff the resorts are packing up. Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 Travelers have their pick from the many resorts, condominiums, and rental homes that all enjoy prime waterfront real estate on this barrier island. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for resort
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resort
Noun
  • Stewart ran the hippie boutique Liquid Butterfly in Los Angeles for years, a frequent haunt of ’60s icons like Morrison.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The red-footed booby (Sula sula) was spotted off Thomas Point Park in Anne Arundel County, hundreds of miles away from its usual haunt in the tropics.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • When children are experiencing poor educational outcomes, at what point does opposition to an alternative become an obstacle to giving families another opportunity?
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Democrats see an opportunity to win this cycle in once-competitive Iowa, where high costs, health clinic closures, manufacturing job losses and a struggling agricultural economy weigh on voters.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Your recourse at this point is talking directly to the supervisor rather than hinting about your displeasure.
    R Eric Thomas, Baltimore Sun, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The most immediate and effective recourse may not be legal action.
    Ashlee Difuntorum, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Skeptics say such psychic profilers do more harm than good by wasting police resources and exploiting grieving families.
    Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The next phase will include examining more types and grades of iron ore, since the Iron Range contains a wide variety of resources.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Resort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resort. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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