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
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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.
But teenagers are resourceful, Clark said, and can often circumvent those safeguards.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026
Tessa makes for a captivating protagonist, one who is resourceful and resilient, sardonic and defiant: “A live wire, always throwing off sparks,” in the words of one character.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
NTS said the tenancy would suit "resourceful and enthusiastic" people who were already experienced in crofting, and have a trade or could contribute to the isle's knitwear industry.
From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026
In a New Yorker article last year by a college professor, students characterized AI-enabled cheating as a widespread and resourceful way to avoid wasting time on material that didn’t interest them.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2026
“We don’t believe he’d be as resourceful as you,” Blunt said.
From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz
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.
