USE Definition & Meaning

If the item being discussed is employed for its intended function, then the word use should be the choice. This distinction in spelling stems from British vs. American English conventions. Related words are utilizes, utilized, utilizing, and utililization. Utilize is the North American spelling; the British spellings are utilise, utilises, utilised, utilising, and utilisation. The words employ and utilize are common synonyms of use. While all three words mean “to put into service especially to attain an end,” use implies availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end.

verb (used without object)

Studying the origins of use and utilize makes us realize that use can be used in different contexts. But utilize should only be used to indicate a “creative” use. For example, when you’re pointing at an object with a ruler, you’re utilizing it. In both definitions of the verb use, the objects are brought into action in the standard or typical way.

It can also mean to convert something for a specific use or to make something useful in a new way. For example, you could utilize a ballpen as a bookmark while reading. Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. “We run at an insane pace all the time, so as soon as I started hearing about holidays I used to get stressed. There was no bandwidth, there was no time,” she said.

• Utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.
• While in some cases nearly identical to use, utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.
• When functioning as a noun, the s in use is pronounced as an s.
• Here are some examples where use and utilize both work.

Word History

If approved, it would also replenish a pot of 60 million shares the company uses to incentivize employees. Utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something. Employ suggests the use of a person or thing that is available but idle, inactive, or disengaged.

Use may also mean to exploit someone or something. In these cases, use functions as a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object. Utilize is not a fancy way to say use because it has a different meaning.

The word use has been in the English language since at least 1200. It has several definitions depending on the part of the speech. It should also be the word of choice over the word utilize in nearly all cases.

Definition of Use with Examples

Use the word utilize when you are using something beyond its original and intended purpose. You may use a bat to play baseball, but you can utilize it as a self-defense tool. If you’re a professional copy editor, op-ed editor, or other kinds of editor, you’ve probably noticed this error among writers. It’s a common mistake that editors are burdened with since only a few people understand the difference between the two words. There’s also an ongoing talk about scientific writers being allowed to use utilize and use interchangeably. They say that you should correctly employ use and utilize even if you’re a science writer.

Understanding the correct usage for both is more than just semantics; it’s a building block for clearer, more precise communication in your writing. So, if you’ve ever scratched your head on whether to add use or utilize to a sentence, this article is your go-to resource. Although the words employ and use have much in common, employ suggests the use of a person or thing that is available but idle, inactive, or disengaged. For instance, if one keeps his life savings in a sock, he may be utilizing the sock as a bank. The intended use of a sock is to cover one’s foot, not function as a bank. Overall, regular writers might overuse the word utilize, although it’s not always their fault.

You can also say that a machine, tool, or weapon is employed. While in some cases nearly identical to use, utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something. The word use may always be substituted for the word utilize, but the reverse is not valid. Utilize also has Middle French roots and only appeared in the 1800s in the English language. It comes from the French word utiliser, which means making effective use of something. When functioning as a noun, the s in use is pronounced as an s.

What Is Wrong With the Word Utilize?

• Studying the origins of use and utilize makes us realize that use can be used in different contexts.
• Dictionaries just need to stress the distinction between the two.
• There’s also an ongoing talk about scientific writers being allowed to use utilize and use interchangeably.
• It can also mean to convert something for a specific use or to make something useful in a new way.

Dictionaries just need to stress the distinction between the two. There’s nothing inherently wrong with the word utilize. However, early-career writers employ the word utilize instead of use because it sounds more important or more formal than the word use. You can almost always substitute utilize for use. But you can’t replace the word use with utilize. That means you can only employ utilize when you mean to use something creatively.

Synonyms of use

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. Even a regular person would assume that they mean the same. And they will prefer using utilize because it’s longer and more bureaucratic.

Use as a Noun

These sentence examples only employ use because the object being used is for their primary intent. But don’t worry about the uselessness of utilize! Use is also used as a noun to mean the action or ability to engage with something to accomplish a task, achieve a goal, or take advantage. Another difference between use and utilize is their parts of the speech. Use can be considered a noun or a verb, while utilize is only a verb. However, employ is a formal word when it is used to talk about such things as methods or tools.

Here are some examples where use and utilize both work. Even though it has the same Latin origin, it’s closer to utility. Both words originate from the Latin word util-. However, use is much older in English than utilize, which explains its more comprehensive definition. When use functions as a verb, the s is pronounced as a z.

Use, employ, utilize mean to put into service especially to attain an end. The verb forms use to and used to both say that something that formerly existed or repeatedly happened no longer exists rename iphone airdrop or happens. The difference between the two rests entirely on the word did.

That means use and utilize are not perfect synonyms, although they are often used interchangeably in everyday language. You should already know how to use (not utilize) the word utilize, utilizing, or utilized properly. Use is for performing an action on an object based on its typical purpose. The word utilize carries the connotation of innovation or creative use of an everyday item.

Use means to consume from a limited supply or take something to achieve a result. Utilize means to use something beyond its intended purpose. In most cases, the correct spelling is utilize.