usage

noun us·age \ ˈyü-sij , -zij \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of usage

1 a : firmly established and generally accepted practice or procedure

b : a uniform certain reasonable lawful practice existing in a particular locality or occupation and binding persons entering into transactions chiefly on the basis of presumed familiarity

c : the way in which words and phrases are actually used (as in a particular form or sense) in a language community

2 a : the action, amount, or mode of using

a decreased usage of electricity

b : manner of treating

See usage defined for English-language learners

See usage defined for kids

Examples of usage in a Sentence

Seat belt usage in the state is now mandatory.
drug usage among college students
Restaurant dishes must be able to withstand rough usage.
efforts to reduce water usage
increasing usage of the nation's highways
This word occurs in casual usage.
differences between British and American usage
I came across an uncommon usage I'd like to discuss with you.

Recent Examples of usage from the Web

The SurfEasy service, which usually costs $12 a month, promises unlimited usage on up to five devices, access to 28 regions, and a strict no-log policy, and is available on iOS and Android.

— michael simon, PCWorld, "Opera is shuttering its VPN app for iOS and Android, sending users to SurfEasy," 17 Apr. 2018
Battery usage is another consideration, as real-time navigation apps can drain your smartphone battery quickly.

— ken colburn, azcentral, "Do I need a dedicated GPS device if I have a smartphone?," 16 Apr. 2018
Hinch's late-game, matchup-centric bullpen usage is the topic du jour.

— chandler rome, Houston Chronicle, "Astros blow 5-run lead, lose to Rangers in 10 innings," 14 Apr. 2018
Morton had never thrown his curveball more than 24.6% of the time with the Pirates, while his sinker usage was at 57.3% or more in four of his last five years in Pittsburgh.

— michael beller, SI.com, "The Astros Have Gerrit Cole Looking Like an Ace Again and It's Thanks to His Knuckle-Curveball," 11 Apr. 2018
Tyler Cantu, 26, 900 block of S. Loucks St., Aurora, was charged with drunken driving and improper lane usage at 2:47 am.

— erika wurst, Aurora Beacon-News, "Aurora resident charged with leaving scene of accident, DUI," 9 Apr. 2018
Each home will come with SunPower solar system, ranging from 3 to 5 kilowatts, which can generate up to 8,000 kilowatt hours based on home orientation, which estimates suggest will cover 80 percent or more of a home’s energy usage.

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "How California builders are adapting to state’s super-strict energy mandates," 23 Mar. 2018
But yeah, there are people that engage their fans in different ways and have leveraged their social media usage to be very profitable to them.

— recode staff, Recode, "Full transcript: SB Nation Editor in Chief Elena Bergeron on Too Embarrassed to Ask," 20 Mar. 2018
As a result, data usage is a very important consideration, as each gigabyte must be paid for.

— j. d. biersdorfer, New York Times, "Measuring and Managing Your Cellular Data Use," 12 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'usage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of usage

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from us use

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

usage Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of usage

habit, practice, usage, custom, wont mean a way of acting fixed through repetition. habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively.

- had a habit of tapping his fingers

practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

- our practice is to honor all major credit cards

usage suggests a customary action so generally followed that it has become a social norm.

- western-style dress is now common usage in international business

custom applies to a practice or usage so steadily associated with an individual or group as to have almost the force of unwritten law.

- the custom of wearing black at funerals

wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group.

- as was her wont, she slept until noon

USAGE Defined for English Language Learners

usage

noun

Definition of usage for English Language Learners

: the act of using something
: the way that something is used
: the amount of something that is used

USAGE Defined for Kids

usage

noun us·age \ ˈyü-sij , -zij \

Definition of usage for Students

1 : usual way of doing things

a business usage

2 : the way in which words and phrases are actually used

3 : the action of using : use

The book was worn from long usage.

Law Dictionary

usage

noun us·age \ ˈyü-sij, -zij \

legal Definition of usage

: an habitual or uniform practice especially in an area or trade — compare custom

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for usage Spanish Central: Translation of usage Nglish: Translation of usage for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of usage for Arabic speakers

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usage

Definition of usage

Examples of usage in a Sentence

Recent Examples of usage from the Web

Origin and Etymology of usage

usage Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of usage

Phrases Related to USAGE

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USAGE Defined for English Language Learners

usage

Definition of usage for English Language Learners

USAGE Defined for Kids

usage

Definition of usage for Students

Law Dictionary

usage

legal Definition of usage

Learn More about usage

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