use 1 of 2

verb

ˈyüz How to pronounce use (audio)
Definition of usenext
1
as in to utilize
to put into action or service I will need to use the large hammer for this project

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to treat
to behave toward in a stated way the factory workers were underpaid and poorly used by their employers

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to exploit
to take unfair advantage of I was paying for everything on our little outing, and I was starting to feel like I was being used

Synonyms & Similar Words

use

2 of 2

noun

ˈyüs How to pronounce use (audio)
1
as in application
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose the use of boom boxes is strictly prohibited in the park

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in usefulness
the capacity for being useful for some purpose the broken grill isn't going to be of much use in cooking the hamburgers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in liking
positive regard for something I have no use for slackers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb use contrast with its synonyms?

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.

willing to use any means to achieve her ends

Where would employ be a reasonable alternative to use?

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.

looking for better ways to employ their skills

When is it sensible to use utilize instead of use?

While in some cases nearly identical to use, utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.

an old wooden bucket utilized as a planter

How does the verb use contrast with its synonyms?

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.

willing to use any means to achieve her ends

Where would employ be a reasonable alternative to use?

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.

looking for better ways to employ their skills

When is it sensible to use utilize instead of use?

While in some cases nearly identical to use, utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.

an old wooden bucket utilized as a planter

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of use
Verb
Baseball president Paul DePodesta returned after a 10-year hiatus to accept this assignment and found himself in the TV booth as the Phillies used Lorenzen as batting practice. —Troy Renck, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026 Since then, F-15Es have been used for air expeditionary force deployments and operations, including the no-fly zone in Southern Iraq as well as in Turkey and Bosnia. —Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
Experts estimate thousands of additional uses occur in undisclosed plea deals and juvenile cases. —Ivan J. Bates, Baltimore Sun, 4 Apr. 2026 For now, the future of the sites is governed by existing land use rules. —Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for use
Recent Examples of Synonyms for use
  1. utilize
  2. treat
  3. exploit
  4. application
  5. usefulness
  6. liking
  7. apply
  8. handle
Verb
  • This season, the Royals have utilized Falter in a different role.
    — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
  • The gadget works by utilizing a blue-violet light to attract insects, which are then zapped by a 4200-volt electric grid on contact.
    — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Definition of utilize
Verb
  • The script, by Ed Solomon, treats the Sklar siblings as cardboard grotesques—heartless, talentless, united in their loathing of a father who loathes them right back.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Later Wednesday, the SLS upper stage sent Integrity into a high Earth orbit ranging as far as 46,000 miles away, treating the crew to the sight of a lunar eclipse along the way.
    — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
Definition of treat
Verb
  • With key Pistons defenders like Ausar Thompson (ankle), Cade Cunningham (lung), and Isaiah Stewart (calf) sidelined or doubtful, Gilgeous-Alexander has a prime opportunity to exploit the matchup.
    — Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
  • This property is driven by a phenomenon known as plasmonics, where light interacting with a material generates collective oscillations of electrons, producing highly localized electromagnetic fields that can be exploited in technologies such as sensing, catalysis, and energy harvesting.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Definition of exploit
Noun
  • Those investors backed an expansion beyond digital mortgage origination, a broader platform pitch that helped large lenders digitize everything from mortgage applications to other consumer‑credit products.
    — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • There are countless applications, but there's a good example playing out across the Chicago area of why this work is so important – data centers, with many concerned about the amount of energy and resources required to run them.
    — Tara Molina, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of application
Noun
  • An Iraqi official, however, cautioned that the usefulness of the exemption will depend on whether shipping companies are willing to risk entering the strait to collect cargoes.
    — Patrick Sykes, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Features like heart rate sensing and hearing assistance add a layer of everyday usefulness, and the seamless Bluetooth pairing keeps things simple across devices.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of usefulness
Noun
  • In the meantime, Nvidia is already responding to some of the backlash, explaining that game developers will have full artistic control over DLSS 5 and can fine-tune the model to their liking.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Nero was widely blamed for the disaster, with accusers claiming that the emperor started the fire to bypass the senate and rebuild Rome to his liking, though modern historians believe the fire was accidental.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of liking
Verb
  • The Financially Distressed City Law allows home-rule municipalities in the top 5% of tax rates and the bottom 5% of tax income per capita to apply for fiscal relief via a state takeover of finances.
    — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The change will not apply to customers who bought tickets before Friday, April 3, the airline said.
    — Jordan Freiman, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of apply
Verb
  • As part of the Waldorf’s rebirth, the French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon handled the hotel’s interiors, furniture, and amenities.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Pawel Chudzicki, whose law firm handled the licenses for Global Risk, told me that the State Department had conducted an inquiry in response to the Associated Press article and identified no violations of the law.
    — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Definition of handle

Phrases Containing use

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Cite this Entry

“Use.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/use. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on use

Nglish: Translation of use for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about use

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