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 About 250 women participated in the event at the Mohegan Sun casino and resort in Connecticut, according to court documents, with some staying overnight. Andrea Hsu, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026 This oceanfront resort will host a buffet brunch in its ballroom and terrace, with a waffle bar, build-your-own omelets, seafood and meat-carving stations and an extensive lineup of desserts. Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026 Jane Campion will preside over the jury of Italy’s upcoming Taormina Film Festival that will run June 10-14 in the Sicilian sea resort. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 30 Mar. 2026 The ruling, filed Thursday by Broward Circuit Judge David A. Haimes, says the developer erred in using the nearby Margaritaville resort as a height benchmark. Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for resort
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resort
Noun
  • There’s a lot of historical buildings from 75 years ago that are favored haunts, and then there’s a lot of rock ‘n’ roll clubs from 50 years ago, like the Troubadour and the Whisky a-Go-Go.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Shane, whose run in All Out at the Nederlander Theater ends March 8, took some time to show Condé Nast Traveler some of his favorite Manhattan haunts—from a five-star hotel to a tawdry nightclub to the first brow aesthetician that put him at ease.
    Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The rapid proliferation of art biennials in the ’90s gave them plenty of opportunities and reflected a world reorganizing itself after the Cold War.
    Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Shamet was fouled on the play and missed the and-one free throw, but second-year backup big man Ariel Hukporti grabbed the offensive rebound to create a second shot opportunity.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Steve founded the firm in 1993, following a dispute in which families sought legal recourse after children became seriously ill from contaminated fast food.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The bill, if enacted in its current draft, could also give the state and project operators the power to regulate underground transit systems, leaving municipalities like Nashville with little recourse to address fires or other emergencies, and workplace safety or pollution concerns.
    Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • So do resources, attention, and infrastructure.
    Manuela Moscoso, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Geological drilling campaigns have produced resource estimates that are still being analyzed and updated by mining specialists.
    Matt Emma, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Resort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resort. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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