Definitions
01holiday destination
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a place where many people go for a holiday to relax and have fun.
n. a place frequented for holidays or recreation, typically featuring integrated lodging, dining, and entertainment facilities.
“We stayed at a beautiful ski resort in the mountains last winter.”
“The coastal resort has seen a significant increase in international visitors since the completion of the new regional airport.”
02a final option
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the person or thing you turn to when you have no other choices left.
n. the use of something as a final available option or source of help in a difficult situation.
“Surgery is usually a last resort after other treatments have failed.”
“The central bank viewed the emergency loan as a last resort to prevent a total collapse of the national currency.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'as a last resort'.
03to use as a last option
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to do something because you are in a difficult situation and have no other choice.
v. to adopt a course of action, often an undesirable one, because no other options remain viable.
“The students had to resort to using old textbooks when the internet went down.”
“The protesters eventually resorted to civil disobedience after their formal petitions were repeatedly ignored by the local council.”
Usage
Intransitive verb that almost always takes the preposition 'to'.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “resort” in context.
Verb
01. have resort to legal action
“The company had resort to legal action to protect its intellectual property.”
verb + noun + prep + adj + noun
02. resort to violence
“The protesters were peaceful and refused to resort to violence despite the provocation.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
03. last resort
“Surgery should only be considered as a last resort when all other treatments have failed.”
adj + noun
04. luxury ski resort
“They spent their winter holiday at a luxury ski resort in the Swiss Alps.”
adj + noun
05. popular seaside resort
“Brighton is a popular seaside resort that attracts thousands of visitors every summer.”
adj + noun
Preposition
06. as a first resort
“Many people take painkillers as a first resort instead of finding the cause of the ache.”
prep + adj + noun
07. in the last resort
“In the last resort, the government may decide to increase taxes to cover the deficit.”
prep + adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“After graduating, Reutt moved south to Sochi, the Black Sea resort that became her home.” “A: Most taxistas will speak basic English, particularly in major cities and tourist resorts so you shouldn’t have a problem communicating.” Etymology
From Middle English resorten, from Old French resortir (“to fall back, return, resort, have recourse, appeal”), back-formation from sortir (“to go out”).
From re- + sort.
From French ressort.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. last resort
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/resort
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0