wherewithal

wherewithal
1 of 3
noun

Synonyms of wherewithal
: 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?
If wherewithal sounds like three words smashed together, that’s because it is—sort of. Wherewithal combines where and withal, an adverb from Middle English that is itself a combination of with and all. In the past, wherewithal was used as a conjunction meaning "with or by means of which" and as a pronoun meaning "that with or by which." Today, however, it is almost always used as a noun to refer to the means or resources a person or entity has at their disposal. It refers especially to financial resources, but other means such as social influence, ability, and emotional capacity may also be termed as "wherewithal."

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Failing to give the IRS the wherewithal to collect those taxes makes no sense.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 26 May 2025
Costner said living in the West was difficult, and history shows many people were forced to live there without the wherewithal to do so.
—Janelle Ash , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2025
Contrary to what is widely believed, Europeans have most of the military wherewithal needed to create such a force.
—Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 21 Apr. 2025
Then a team also has to have the energy and wherewithal to play through four rounds against steep competition.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 19 May 2025

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
See more words from the same year