where·with·al
ˈ(h)wer-wi-ˌt͟hȯl 
-ˌthȯl
-ˌthȯl
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Wherewithal comes from where and withal (meaning "with"), and it has been used as a conjunction meaning "with or by means of which" and as a pronoun meaning "that with or by which." These days, however, it is almost always used as a noun referring to the means or resources a person has at one's disposal—especially financial resources.
Examples of wherewithal in a Sentence
Noun
A project as big as this requires a lot of financial wherewithal.
He doesn't have the wherewithal to finish what he started.
Recent Examples on the Web
Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 18 Mar. 2025
Because a lot of the promoters just didn’t have the wherewithal or the resources to do a show of this magnitude.
—Billboard Staff, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2025
Pssst: The latest business tycoon with serious interest and the wherewithal to buy the Twins is a Microsoft corporate partner.
—Charley Walters, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2025
There’s something over-eager behind their smiles that occasionally cracks — something Yvonne doesn’t have the wherewithal to unpack and something Camille either doesn’t see or simply won’t.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wherewithal
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Noun
Dividend stocks reward investors with the potential for enhanced returns over time, and a few companies may have the wherewithal to start offering the payments, according to Morgan Stanley.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 18 Mar. 2025
Because a lot of the promoters just didn’t have the wherewithal or the resources to do a show of this magnitude.
—Billboard Staff, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2025
Pssst: The latest business tycoon with serious interest and the wherewithal to buy the Twins is a Microsoft corporate partner.
—Charley Walters, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2025
There’s something over-eager behind their smiles that occasionally cracks — something Yvonne doesn’t have the wherewithal to unpack and something Camille either doesn’t see or simply won’t.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wherewithal
Cite this Entry
“Wherewithal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wherewithal. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.
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