resort

1 of 3

noun

re·​sort ri-ˈzȯrt How to pronounce resort (audio)
1
a
: one that affords aid or refuge : resource
went to them as a last resort
b
: recourse sense 1a
have resort to outside help
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

resort

2 of 3

verb (1)

resorted; resorting; resorts

intransitive verb

1
: to go especially frequently or habitually : repair
2
: to have recourse
resort to force

re-sort

3 of 3

verb (2)

re-sorted; re-sorting; re-sorts

transitive verb

: to sort again
Choose the Right Synonym for resort

resource, resort, expedient, shift, makeshift, stopgap 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

expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

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
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
There are no ski resorts, chairlifts, or even primitive potties. Melissa McGibbon, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2024 Explore Louisiana 10 of 20 Maryland: St. Michaels This gorgeous Eastern Shore enclave has everything in spades—a spectacular waterfront resort, a stunning maritime museum, a humming little downtown, and charming historic homes. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2024 One ski resort, Homewood Mountain Resort in the Lake Tahoe area, saw 87 inches of snow and was still without power on Sunday. Bychris Morris, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 Mammoth Mountain received 3 to 4 feet of fresh snow, the ski resort reported on social media. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024 The one exception was the Spencer House, a fancy hotel at Front Street and Broadway that was a resort for Southerners who brought along their families and slaves in the summer. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 3 Mar. 2024 The blizzard didn’t let up on the constellation of snow resorts across the Sierra. Daniel Hunt, Sacramento Bee, 2 Mar. 2024 Airdrops — expensive, cumbersome and inefficient — are considered by the aid community the last resort of food delivery. Jane Arraf, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 The resort appears as a dramatic neo-gothic castle with its turrets and gables perched on a hill overlooking Lake St Moritz. Jim Dobson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
The special counsel also charged Trump and two co-defendants — aide Walt Nauta and resort employee Carlos de Oliveira — with crimes that amounted to accusations of moving boxes of government records to avoid detection and unsuccessfully trying to get security camera footage erased. Robert Legare, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2024 In 2023, the group advised on the sale of seven golf and resort properties across the country totaling over $282 million, according to the news release. San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2024 The couple had two full days of events, and most of their guests stayed at the El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels resort for a few extra days to enjoy the beaches and amenities at their leisure while getting to know each other’s family and friends. USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024 Last year was marked by news of hotel and resort developments across the Kingdom, from AlUla, the ancient oasis city near the sandstone monuments of Hegra; to the Red Sea coast and its islands; Sindalah Island, part of the Neom gigaproject; and the historic settlement of Diriyah. Clare Dight, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2024 Coach Benjy is onsite to help resort guests with packages that include court time and skills-enhancing workshops. Amber Turpin, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2024 The provincial government of British Columbia delayed the opening of a Northland Properties resort in 2011 after a contractor for the company contaminated a water source in the resort town of Revelstoke, according to news reports. Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Jan. 2024 The reception was held at the Lodge at Rancho Mirage (a hotel and resort about 120 miles east of L.A.) and overall cost almost $4 million, PEOPLE reported. Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 4 Jan. 2024 The Vail Resort's sister resort Brandywine just down the road has yet to open for the season. Craig Webb, The Enquirer, 8 Jan. 2024
Verb
In many parts of the country, the divide between red and blue has prompted a re-sorting in which moving states has seemed simpler to tens of thousands of people than changing the party in charge. Scott Wilson, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'resort.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, return, source of aid, from Anglo-French, from resortir to rebound, resort, from re- + Old French sortir to go out, leave

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of resort was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near resort

Cite this Entry

“Resort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resort. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

resort

1 of 2 noun
re·​sort ri-ˈzȯ(ə)rt How to pronounce resort (audio)
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 verb
1
: to go especially frequently or habitually
2
: to turn to for aid, relief, or advantage
resort to violence

More from Merriam-Webster on resort

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