Useful vs. Use

Useful vs. Use — Is There a Difference?
ADVERTISEMENT

Difference Between Useful and Use

Usefuladjective

Having a practical or beneficial use.

Usenoun

The act of using.

the use of torture has been condemned by the United Nations;there is no use for your invention

Usefuladjective

being of use or service;

the girl felt motherly and usefula useful joba useful member of society

Usenoun

Usefulness, benefit.

What's the use of a law that nobody follows?

Usefuladjective

of great importance or use or service;

useful informationvaluable advice

Usenoun

A function; a purpose for which something may be employed.

This tool has many uses.
ADVERTISEMENT

Usefuladjective

capable of being turned to use or account;

useful applications of calculus

Usenoun

Occasion or need to employ; necessity.

I have no further use for these textbooks.

Usefuladjective

having a useful function;

utilitarian steel tables

Usenoun

Interest for lent money; premium paid for the use of something; usury.

Usenoun

(archaic) Continued or repeated practice; usage; habit.

Usenoun

(obsolete) Common occurrence; ordinary experience.

ADVERTISEMENT

Usenoun

(religion) The special form of ritual adopted for use in any diocese.

the Sarum, or Canterbury, use; the Hereford use; the York use; the Roman use; etc.

Usenoun

(forging) A slab of iron welded to the side of a forging, such as a shaft, near the end, and afterward drawn down, by hammering, so as to lengthen the forging.

Useverb

To utilize or employ.

Useverb

(transitive) To employ; to apply; to utilize.

Use this knife to slice the bread.We can use this mathematical formula to solve the problem.

Useverb

To expend; to consume by employing.

I used the money they allotted me.We should use up most of the fuel.She used all the time allotted to complete the test.

Useverb

(transitive) To exploit.

You never cared about me; you just used me!

Useverb

(transitive) To consume (alcohol, drugs, etc), especially regularly.

He uses cocaine. I have never used drugs.

Useverb

(intransitive) To consume a previously specified substance, especially a drug to which one is addicted.

Richard began experimenting with cocaine last year; now he uses almost every day.

Useverb

To benefit from; to be able to employ or stand.

I could use a drink. My car could use a new coat of paint.

Useverb

To accustom; to habituate. Now common only in participial form. Note: This usage uses the nounal pronunciation of the word rather than the typically verbal one.

Useverb

To become accustomed, to accustom oneself.

Useverb

To habitually do; to be wont to do.

Useverb

To habitually employ; to be wont to employ.

Useverb

To habitually do. See used to.

I used to get things done.

Useverb

(dated) To behave toward; to act with regard to; to treat.

to use an animal cruelly

Useverb

To behave, act, comport oneself.

Usenoun

the act of using;

he warned against the use of narcotic drugsskilled in the utilization of computers

Usenoun

a particular service;

he put his knowledge to good usepatrons have their uses

Usenoun

what something is used for;

the function of an auger is to bore holesballet is beautiful but what use is it?

Usenoun

(economics) the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs or in manufacturing;

the consumption of energy has increased steadily

Usenoun

a pattern of behavior acquired through frequent repetition;

she had a habit twirling the ends of her hairlong use had hardened him to it

Usenoun

(law) the exercise of the legal right to enjoy the benefits of owning property;

we were given the use of his boat

Usenoun

exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage;

his manipulation of his friends was scandalous

Useverb

put into service; make work or employ (something) for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose;

use your head!we only use Spanish at homeI can't make use of this toolApply a magnetic field hereThis thinking was applied to many projectsHow do you utilize this tool?I apply this rule to get good resultsuse the plastic bags to store the foodHe doesn't know how to use a computer

Useverb

take or consume (regularly or habitually);

She uses drugs rarely

Useverb

seek or achieve an end by using to one's advantage;

She uses her influential friends to get jobsThe president's wife used her good connections

Useverb

use up, consume fully;

The legislature expended its time on school questions

Useverb

avail oneself to;

apply a principlepractice a religionuse care when going down the stairsuse your common sensepractice non-violent resistance

Useverb

habitually do something (use only in the past tense);

She used to call her mother every week but now she calls only occasionallyI used to get sick when I ate in that dining hallThey used to vacation in the Bahamas