Resort
verb/noun
Base: resort | Past: resorted | Past Participle: resorted | -ing: resorting | 3rd person: resorts
Definition
1. A place where many people go for rest and holidays, such as a seaside or ski destination.
2. To turn to something unpleasant or extreme because you have no better option.
3. Also the act of using something as a final or available solution when other options have failed.
2. To turn to something unpleasant or extreme because you have no better option.
3. Also the act of using something as a final or available solution when other options have failed.
Context Alive
After months of polite complaints got nowhere, the frustrated tenants had to resort to writing a formal legal letter to their landlord. Nobody wanted things to get that serious, but every other approach had completely failed. Sometimes you have no choice but to take the toughest option available.
Meanings
3 meanings
1
A Holiday Destination or Place (Noun)
Very Common
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This meaning is about a place where people go for holidays, relaxation, or specific activities like skiing or swimming. Imagine a family packing their bags and heading to a beautiful seaside resort where they can enjoy the beach, eat at restaurants, and forget about work for a week. This is a resort — a destination built specifically for people to enjoy themselves and relax. You might book “a week at an all-inclusive resort in Turkey” or “a luxury ski resort in the Alps with spa facilities.” Or picture a couple celebrating their anniversary at a tropical resort with white sand beaches and crystal-clear water. The word suggests comfort, leisure, and escape — a place designed entirely around enjoyment. ✏️ “Resort” as a place almost always comes with a descriptor — seaside resort, ski resort, holiday resort, beach resort. On its own, “a resort” usually implies a large, organised holiday destination with hotels, restaurants, and activities.
Vivid ExampleThe family saved up for two years to spend a week at an all-inclusive resort on the Mediterranean coast, where everything from food to entertainment was included. The children spent every day in the pool while the parents relaxed by the sea. It was the kind of holiday they’d always dreamed about.
2
To Turn to Something Unpleasant or Extreme (Verb)
Very Common
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This meaning is about doing something you would normally avoid because you have no other option left. Imagine a parent who has tried everything to get their teenager to study — encouragement, rewards, calm conversations — and finally resorts to taking away their phone until grades improve. This is resorting to something — choosing an unpleasant or extreme action because nothing else has worked. You might say “the police had to resort to tear gas when the crowd became violent” or “she resorted to sleeping in her car when she couldn’t find affordable accommodation.” Or picture a country that resorts to borrowing heavily from foreign banks after its own economy collapses completely. The word suggests desperation and reluctance — you wouldn’t do this if you had a better choice. ✏️ “Resort to” always takes an object — you resort TO something. The thing you resort to is usually negative or undesirable: resort to violence, resort to lies, resort to begging. It strongly implies you’ve exhausted all other options first.
Vivid ExampleWhen the negotiations collapsed completely, the workers resorted to going on strike because management had ignored every reasonable request they had made. It wasn’t what anyone wanted — strikes hurt everyone involved. But after months of being dismissed, they felt it was the only way to be heard.
3
A Solution or Option When Others Fail (Noun)
Very Common
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This meaning is about using something as a solution, especially when other options have already failed — most commonly in the phrase “last resort.” Imagine a doctor who has tried every medication available, and as a last resort, recommends surgery as the only remaining option to save the patient. This is resort as a solution you turn to when everything else is exhausted. You might hear “surgery should only be used as a last resort” or “as a first resort, try talking to your neighbour directly before calling the police.” Or think about a student who, as a last resort, asks the head teacher for help after their own teacher refused to listen. The word carries a sense of finality and necessity — it’s not your preferred option, but it’s all that’s left. ✏️ “Last resort” is by far the most common form — it means the final option when everything else has failed. “First resort” exists but is much rarer, meaning the first thing you try. “As a last resort” is the most natural way to use this in a sentence.
Vivid ExampleThe doctor explained that surgery was the last resort after every other treatment had failed to stop the pain, and the patient agreed because she simply couldn’t live like that anymore. She had tried physiotherapy, medication, and injections over two years. None of them had worked, so this was the only option left.
Examples from the Street
“We booked a lovely resort in Spain — it’s got three pools, a kids’ club, and everything’s included in the price.”
A holiday destination with full facilities where you can relax without worrying about extra costs
“I didn’t want to shout, but I had to resort to raising my voice because nobody was listening to me.”
I was forced to do something I’d normally avoid because nothing else was getting their attention
“Calling the police should always be a last resort — try sorting it out yourselves first.”
Contacting the authorities should only happen when every other option has completely failed
Common Patterns
a seaside/beach resort → a holiday destination by the sea
a ski/mountain resort → a destination for skiing or mountain activities
an all-inclusive resort → a holiday place where food, drinks, and activities are all included
a holiday/tourist resort → a general destination designed for visitors and tourists
a luxury/five-star resort → a high-end, expensive holiday destination
resort to violence/force → use physical aggression because no peaceful option works
resort to lies/cheating → start lying or cheating because other methods have failed
resort to drastic measures → take extreme action as a final option
be forced to resort to → have no choice but to use an unpleasant option
a/the last resort → the final option when everything else has failed
as a last resort → used when you have no other choice left
a/the first resort → the first thing you try before other options
without resort to → without needing to use something (formal)
Collocations
3 collocationslast resort
the final option when everything else has failed
resort to violence
turn to aggression when other options fail
holiday resort
a place designed for vacationers
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
They spent two weeks at a beautiful resort on the coast of Thailand, surrounded by palm trees and turquoise water
Tayland kıyısında palmiyeler ve turkuaz sularla çevrili güzel bir tatil beldesinde iki hafta geçirdiler.
2
When talking didn’t work, the neighbours resorted to calling the council to complain about the noise
Konuşmak işe yaramayınca komşular, gürültüyü şikayet etmek için belediyeyi aramak zorunda kaldı.
3
Surgery should only be considered as a last resort when all other treatments have been tried
Ameliyat ancak diğer tüm tedaviler denendiğinde son çare olarak düşünülmelidir.
4
The ski resort was packed with tourists from all over Europe during the Christmas holidays
Kayak merkezi, Noel tatilinde Avrupa’nın her yerinden gelen turistlerle dolup taşıyordu.
5
She never wanted to resort to borrowing money, but the medical bills left her no choice
Asla borç almak zorunda kalmak istemiyordu, ama hastane faturaları ona başka seçenek bırakmadı.
6
As a last resort, we decided to hire a private investigator to find the missing documents
Son çare olarak, kayıp belgeleri bulmak için özel bir dedektif tutmaya karar verdik.
7
The all-inclusive resort offered everything from water sports to live entertainment every evening
Her şey dahil tatil köyü, su sporlarından her akşam canlı eğlenceye kadar her şeyi sunuyordu.
8
The government resorted to imposing strict curfews when the protests grew out of control
Hükümet, protestolar kontrolden çıkınca sıkı sokağa çıkma yasakları uygulamak zorunda kaldı.
9
He tried fixing the car himself first, and only as a last resort did he take it to the mechanic
Önce arabayı kendisi tamir etmeye çalıştı ve ancak son çare olarak tamirciye götürdü.
10
Some parents resort to bribing their children with sweets just to get them to behave in public
Bazı ebeveynler, çocuklarını toplum içinde uslu tutmak için şekerle ödüllendirmek zorunda kalıyor.
Learner Examples
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When a student can’t find the answer in their textbook, they often resort to searching the internet, which isn’t always the most reliable source
Bir öğrenci cevabı ders kitabında bulamadığında, genellikle her zaman en güvenilir kaynak olmayan internette aramaya başvurur.
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The teacher used group work as a last resort to get the quiet students talking and participating in class
Öğretmen, sessiz öğrencileri konuşturup derse katılmalarını sağlamak için son çare olarak grup çalışmasına başvurdu.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
1 item Idioms & Expressionsas a last resort — the final option available
We'll call the police, but only as a last resort.
Synonyms & Antonyms
5 items
Synonymsturn to
verb, use as last option
fall back on
use when nothing else works
hotel
noun, vacation place
destination
noun, travel spot
Antonymsavoid
not use at all