natural resource
Americannoun
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a naturally occurring source of wealth, as land or water.
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natural resources, the natural wealth of a country, consisting of land, forests, mineral deposits, water, etc.
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Something, such as a forest, a mineral deposit, or fresh water, that is found in nature and is necessary or useful to humans.
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See more at nonrenewable renewable
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of natural resource
First recorded in 1865–70
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The findings carry an important warning for pet owners, natural resource managers, and policymakers: while goldfish are common household pets, they can become a significant ecological threat outside the aquarium.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January, Huang pitched government leaders on treating data as a natural resource and building domestic infrastructure for it.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
Relying almost entirely on one natural resource that will not last for ever has long been seen as an obstacle to the development of a much more well-rounded and resilient economy.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
“We’re integrated in the global economy like everyone else is,” said Brett Watson, associate professor of applied and natural resource economics at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
I was simply a material, a natural resource to be used.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
