Standard Lemma guide

wherewithal

adv · noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈwɛə.wɪ.ðɔːl/
  • US: /ˈwɛɚ.wɪ.ðɔl/
  • US: /ˈwɛɚ.wɪ.θɔl/
  • cot-caught-merger: /ˈwɛɚ.wɪ.ðɑl/
  • cot-caught-merger: /ˈwɛɚ.wɪ.θɑl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: W EH1 R W IH0 DH AO2 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: HH W EH1 R W IH0 DH AO2 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In what way; how.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

By means of which.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: whereby, wherewith

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The ability and means required to accomplish some task.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • I would like to help your project, but I do not have the wherewithal.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the necessary means (especially financial means)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: means, substance

History

Etymology

From where- + withal. Originally only an adverb, nominal use since ca. 1800.

Across languages

Translations

36 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: waarmede — in what way; how
  • Finnish: kuinka — in what way; how
  • Finnish: miten — in what way; how
  • German: wodurch — in what way; how
  • German: womit — in what way; how
  • Italian: come — in what way; how
  • Swedish: varmed — in what way; how
  • Catalan: mitjans — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Czech: prostředky — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Dutch: middelen — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Finnish: kyky — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Finnish: varat — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • French: moyens — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • German: Mittel — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • German: Geldmittel — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • German: Mittel und Wege — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Hungarian: hozzávalók — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Hungarian: a szükséges eszköz/összeg — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Hungarian: anyagiak — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Italian: occorrente — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Italian: mezzi — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Italian: necessario — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Japanese: 甲斐性 (kaishou) — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Portuguese: meios — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Portuguese: recursos — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Romanian: resurse — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Spanish: medios — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Spanish: posible — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Spanish: posibles — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Spanish: recursos — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Spanish: dinero — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Spanish: caudal — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Spanish: capacidad — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Swedish: medel — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Swedish: möjlighet — the ability and means to accomplish some task
  • Swedish: resurs — the ability and means to accomplish some task