resourceful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
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
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Positive Adjectives to Describe People
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Words to Describe Yourself on a Resume
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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.
Saroj said Gareth was resourceful and the "kind of clever that could fix a car after watching a 10-minute YouTube tutorial"
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026
They seem to understand intuitively that a corps of manifold resources is more resourceful.
From Slate • Jun. 24, 2026
It’s a fast, low-effort way to minimize waste and feel resourceful in the kitchen.
From Salon • May 28, 2026
Most films have instead relied on resourceful camerawork, creative license and shrewd editing to bring an authentic, you-are-there quality to footage lensed mainly in and around Cannes, including iconic festival exteriors and the attendant bustle.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
She was her resourceful self, but she was also an instinctive counterweight to Ralph’s activity — a fixed center.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
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.
