1
2
as in available
capable of or suitable for being used for a particular purpose I've found this tool really useful for making sure all my pictures are hung straight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in helpful
providing service or assistance hopefully, the consultant's financial advice will prove useful in planning for our retirement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 useful At the same time, streaming services, which lump together listeners from around the globe, provide a useful reminder that Anglophones constitute a distinct minority of the international music audience. Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025 Sterilite 18-Quart Clear Stackable Storage Tote Clear stackable totes are useful for just about anything, and this Sterilite bin is no exception. Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025 Some researchers argue that UPFs are too broad a category to be useful, lumping together yogurts and whole-grain breads with potato chips and candy. William Warr, Time, 15 Sep. 2025 The new upscaling features should be more broadly useful, even for the lower-end GPUs in Apple's products. ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for useful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for useful
Adjective
  • These collaborations aren’t just applicable in the world of social media.
    John Hall, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Mad Men would be named Best Drama for a third straight year and Temple Grandin commenced what turned out to be a seemingly endless onslaught at every applicable awards show, as the TV-movie tied an Emmy record with five major wins.
    Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As 9to5Mac reports, hypertension alerts will become available in over 150 countries and regions, including the US and the EU, next week.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
  • That figure is currently just above 50%, extrapolating from available data.
    Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • These offer a helpful guide to behaviors with positive effects.
    Tracy Brower, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • This can be helpful for people who have back and knee pain.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Its early pilots include placing a humanoid in a car factory to fetch and carry parts, hinting at a practical path into routine industrial tasks.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Below, Forbes Human Resources Council members share practical strategies middle managers can use to strengthen relationships and create a more positive workplace culture.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Richmond served as the functional center for the chattel slavery system in the United States, the capitol city of the Confederacy during the Civil War and was one of the many cities that subjected residents to redlining lending practices.
    Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Cross-functional teams that bring together technology, operations and business stakeholders ensure AI solutions are grounded in real-world goals.
    Nitesh Mirchandani, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • During sleep, heart rate and blood pressure drop too, which is beneficial for the little vessels in your brain.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Foliage color can vary between individual trees, which is why planting–and shopping–in fall is beneficial.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • That includes providing students with applied and work-based learning experiences in high school, as well as career exposure and exploration opportunities that begin in age-appropriate ways in middle school.
    Matt Gandal, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • However, the study can only show an association and not a direct cause and effect, said Duval, who now directs applied research at CReATe Fertility Centre, a fertility clinic in Toronto.
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Approved by voters hoodwinked by false cost estimates, the project was supposed to be operable by 2020 at a cost of $33 billion.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Its first operable segment in the Central Valley— a 172-mile stretch between Merced and Bakersfield slated to open in 2033 — is far from the original vision and the $14 billion needed to close the funding gap by June 2026 remains elusive.
    Tina Li, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Useful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/useful. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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