Resourceful

/rɪˈsɔːrsfəl/

adjectivemedium📊CommonGeneral
1 meaning3 questions

Definitions

1

Having the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties.

/rɪˈsɔːrsfəl/

adjectivepositivemedium
General

Able to find clever ways to overcome difficulties.

The stranded hikers were resourceful and managed to survive.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're building a fort. A resourceful person can use anything they can find—blankets, chairs, even their toys—to make it amazing. They don't give up when they run into trouble; they always find a way!

👶 For kids: Being good at finding ways to do things, even when it's hard!

More Examples

2

She is a resourceful problem-solver and always finds a creative solution.

3

His resourcefulness was evident when he rebuilt his business after the fire.

How It's Used

General

"Her resourceful nature helped her succeed in her career."

Business

"A resourceful manager can find solutions to problems efficiently."

Education

"The teacher encouraged the students to be resourceful when completing the project."

From "resource" + "-ful". "Resource" comes from Old French "ressource", meaning "a means of help or supply". The suffix "-ful" indicates "full of".

The word 'resourceful' gained prominence in the 19th century, reflecting the growing emphasis on innovation and problem-solving skills.

Memory tip

Think of someone who is full of resources, always finding ways to solve problems.

Word Origin

LanguageOld French
Original meaning

"A person who is full of resources; good at finding ways to deal with problems."

resourceful personresourceful inbe resourceful

Common misspellings

resorfulresoursefulresourcefull

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written