resourceful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- resourcefully adverb
- resourcefulness noun
- self-resourceful adjective
- self-resourcefully adverb
- self-resourcefulness noun
- unresourceful adjective
- unresourcefully adverb
- unresourcefulness noun
Etymology
Origin of resourceful
Explanation
If you are interviewing employees for your new pet store, you may want to ask if they are resourceful. If they are, it means they are good at problem solving, and this could come in very handy. Think of resourceful people as “full of resources,” or tools for coming up with solutions. They adapt well to new or difficult situations and they are able to think creatively. For example, if a snake gets loose in the pet store, a resourceful person will be able to figure out how to lure it back into its cage again.
Vocabulary lists containing resourceful
Power Suffix: -ful
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Positive Adjectives to Describe People
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Words to Describe Yourself on a Resume
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 U.S. economy is driven by the extraordinarily resourceful, innovative, and hardworking private sector.
From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026
It’s a small, quiet practice, but it leaves me feeling resourceful — and a little lighter — long after the week ends.
From Salon • Jan. 11, 2026
The firm told Australia's Seven News: "Teens are resourceful, and may attempt to circumvent age assurance measures to access restricted services."
From BBC • Nov. 19, 2025
One of Mr. Laxe’s acknowledged influences in creating this desert-set road movie is “Mad Max,” though that film builds its dystopian world with a resourceful imagination that’s missing here.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025
Asase’s weapon is much more resourceful than I am, though.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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.
