Meaning & use
to be resourceful
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Able to find quick and clever ways to deal with problems or difficult situations.
Grammar: Used after 'be' or 'seem': She is resourceful. It describes a personal quality.
Patterns
- be resourceful
- be resourceful enough to do something
When the power went out, the staff were resourceful and used candles and a battery radio.
You have to be resourceful if you want to travel on a small budget.
She is resourceful enough to fix most things around the house.
Common combinations
- highly resourceful
- The team was highly resourceful during the crisis.
- resourceful enough
- He is resourceful enough to find a way.
- resourceful and creative
- Good teachers are resourceful and creative.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ingenious
- 'Ingenious' stresses clever, original ideas, often for a single invention; 'resourceful' stresses practical problem-solving in general.
- inventive
- 'Inventive' focuses on creating new things; 'resourceful' focuses on making good use of what you have.
- practical
- 'Practical' means good at doing useful things; 'resourceful' adds the idea of finding clever solutions when things are difficult.
Opposites
Word family
- resource noun
- Something useful that you can use to help you, such as money, materials, or skills.
- resourcefully adverb
- In a clever and practical way.
- resourcefulness noun
- The quality of being able to solve problems cleverly.
Commonly confused: to be resourceful or resourceful vs. rich?
to be resourceful vs resourceful vs. rich
Resourceful does not mean having a lot of money or materials; it means using what you have cleverly.
Practice
Even with very little money, the family was _____ and made the old house comfortable.
Choose one answer.
'Resourceful' means clever at using what you have. 'Wealthy' is about money, 'careless' means not careful, and 'helpless' is the opposite of resourceful.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to be resourceful”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.