wherewithal

1 of 3

noun

where·​with·​al ˈ(h)wer-wi-ˌt͟hȯl  -ˌthȯl 

: means, resources

specifically : money

didn't have the wherewithal for an expensive dinner

wherewithal

2 of 3

conjunction

: wherewith

wherewithal

3 of 3

pronoun

: wherewith

Did you know?

Wherewithal comes from where and withal (meaning "with"), and it has been used as a conjunction meaning "with or by means of which" and as a pronoun meaning "that with or by which." These days, however, it is almost always used as a noun referring to the means or resources a person has at one's disposal—especially financial resources.

Synonyms

Noun

• bankroll
• coffers
• exchequer
• finances
• fund
• pocket
• resources

Examples of wherewithal in a Sentence

Noun

A project as big as this requires a lot of financial wherewithal.

He doesn't have the wherewithal to finish what he started.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After this week, I’m increasingly convinced that Google has the wherewithal to make the best Android smartwatch in the not-too-distant future. —Quentyn Kennemer, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2024

White women in general could muster the wherewithal to obtain safe abortions, sometimes by traveling as far as Sweden for the purpose. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024

For now, consumers seem to have the wherewithal to spend. —Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal, 18 Oct. 2024

Those who are paralyzed by grief often do not have the wherewithal to articulate their agony, so my reporting frequently consists of telling stories on behalf of people who want them to be told. —Andrew Solomon, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Conjunction

where + withal entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1809, in the meaning defined above

Conjunction

1534, in the meaning defined above

Pronoun

1583, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

wherewithal

noun

where·​with·​al

ˈhwe(ə)r-wit͟h-ˌȯl,

ˈhwa(ə)r-,

ˈwe(ə)r-,

ˈwa(ə)r-,

-with-

: wealth sense 1, resources

especially : money sense 1b

the wherewithal to buy a house