French word

débrouillard

Pronunciation

IPA/debʁujaʁ/

Meaning

  • adjectiveresourceful

Example

Elle est très débrouillarde.

She is very resourceful.

Illustration for débrouillard (resourceful)

More examples

Il est parfois trop débrouillard et refuse de demander de l'aide.

He is sometimes too resourceful and refuses to ask for help.

Core concept

Someone who quickly finds a practical way forward by adapting whatever is at hand.

Common phrases

  • avoir l'air débrouillard

    look resourceful

  • très débrouillard

    very resourceful

  • une amie débrouillarde

    a resourceful friend

Similar words

malin: Clever and shrewd in finding ways to gain an advantage quickly.
dégourdi: Nimble-minded and quick to respond effectively to changing situations.
astucieux: Clever at devising quick and effective solutions to problems.
habile: Capable and skillful in handling tasks with precision.

Definition in French

Qui montre de l'astuce et de l'initiative pour résoudre des problèmes pratiques sans aide.

Word origin

The adjective derives from the verb débrouiller and the suffix -ard, which helps form words describing a person's characteristic behavior.

Usage tips

  • Se débrouiller means to manage or get by, as in Elle se débrouille seule, while débrouiller something means to untangle or sort it out.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word