# resort

/ɹiˈsɔɹt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/resort
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. holiday destination

noun · CEFR B1

a place where many people go for a holiday to relax and have fun.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. a final option

noun · CEFR B2

the person or thing you turn to when you have no other choices left.

For teachers: 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'.

### 3. to use as a last option

verb · CEFR B2

to do something because you are in a difficult situation and have no other choice.

For teachers: 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'.

## Examples

- We will use force only as a last resort.
- The government considered raising taxes a last resort, preferring to cut spending across all departments first.
- Diplomatic sanctions are often viewed as a final resort before military intervention, serving as a critical signal that peaceful negotiations have reached their limit.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.