resort
rih-ZAWT
Resort (noun) means a place people visit for a holiday, often with hotels, entertainment, and leisure facilities. Example: “They spent a week at a beach resort in Portugal.”
noun
1
A place people visit for a holiday, often with hotels, entertainment, and leisure facilities.
"They spent a week at a beach resort in Portugal."
"We booked a ski resort with a heated pool and plenty of restaurants."
"The island has become a popular resort for families looking for sunshine."
verb
1
To turn to a course of action, especially as a last option.
"When talks failed, they resorted to legal action."
"He resorted to bribery to get the deal done."
"If the printer keeps jamming, I may have to resort to writing everything by hand."
How to use resort
Learner’s notes
Common mistake
The phrase is "as a last resort", not "as a last resource".
Common pairings
ski resort
resort to violence
last resort
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Word forms
- Plural
- resorts
- Third person singular
- resorts
- Past tense
- resorted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They spent a week at a beach _____ in Portugal.
Etymology
From Old French resortir, "to fall back, have recourse".
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “resort” mean?
The word “resort” means a place people visit for a holiday, often with hotels, entertainment, and leisure facilities.
How do you pronounce “resort”?
“Resort” is pronounced rih-ZAWT (/ɹɪˈzɔːt/ in IPA).
How do you use “resort” in a sentence?
Here is “resort” used in a sentence: “They spent a week at a beach resort in Portugal.”
What part of speech is “resort”?
Depending on how it is used, “resort” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “resort” come from?
The word “resort” comes from Old French. From Old French resortir, "to fall back, have recourse".
Is “resort” a common word?
“Resort” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “resort” have?
“Resort” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a place people visit for a holiday, often with hotels, entertainment, and leisure facilities.
What is the difference between a resort and a hotel?
A hotel primarily provides accommodation, while a resort is a holiday destination in itself, combining lodging with entertainment and leisure facilities such as pools, restaurants, spas, or ski slopes. Guests at a resort often expect to spend most of their stay on the property.
How do you use "resort to" correctly?
"Resort to" is followed by a noun or an -ing form, never a bare infinitive: "they resorted to violence," "she resorted to borrowing money." It implies turning to the option reluctantly, usually as a last choice, so it typically carries a negative tone.
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