where·with·al
ˈ(h)wer-wi-ˌt͟hȯl 
-ˌthȯl
-ˌthȯl
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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
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
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
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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
See all Example Sentences for wherewithal
Dictionary Entries Near wherewithal
Cite this Entry
“Wherewithal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wherewithal. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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