wherewithal

1 of 3

noun

where·​with·​al ˈ(h)wer-wi-ˌt͟hȯl How to pronounce wherewithal (audio) -ˌthȯl How to pronounce wherewithal (audio)
: means, resources
specifically : money
didn't have the wherewithal for an expensive dinner

wherewithal

2 of 3

conjunction

wherewithal

3 of 3

pronoun

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.

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
Will Dave Roberts have the wherewithal to keep Kershaw on a short leash? Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2024 Of course, few home movies are made by someone with the wherewithal to cast ‘40s film noir legend Ann Savage as their mother (since Maddin never had footage of the real one), or the vision to structure their remembrances like freeform poetry, complete with rhyming callbacks. Indiewire Staff, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2024 If Trump and Vance had the wherewithal to actually carry out a mass deportation of this scale, our economy would crumble in a matter of weeks. Ayendy Bonifacio, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2024 The sturdiness of the U.S. economy -- the world's largest -- has been a key driver of global economic growth and the U.S. jobs market is a big reason for it, underpinning the American expansion and giving consumers the confidence and financial wherewithal to keep spending. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 3 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wherewithal 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wherewithal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of wherewithal was in 1534

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Dictionary Entries Near wherewithal

Cite this Entry

“Wherewithal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wherewithal. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on wherewithal

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