useful

adjective

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use·ful | \ ˈyüs-fəl

Definition of useful

1 : capable of being put to use especially : serviceable for an end or purpose useful tools

2 : of a valuable or productive kind do something useful with your life

Other Words from useful Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about useful

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Examples of useful in a Sentence

Does anyone have any useful suggestions? It can be useful to know CPR. The Internet is useful for finding information quickly. She has become one of the team's most useful players. Why don't you do something useful with your life?

Recent Examples on the Web Those signs were very useful to Ojeda and her companions. — Wendy Fry, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Take a hike: Mexico launches ambitious effort to mark and map its trails," 26 Mar. 2021 With travel expected to resume more broadly at some point in 2021 and restaurant restrictions already lifted in many areas, earning twice as many points in these two categories is very useful. — Jennifer Yellin, CNN Underscored, "There’s a new record-high sign-up bonus on the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card," 25 Mar. 2021 Drain rock, gravel and larger rocks or boulders will also be very useful. — oregonlive, "Learn to build a Pacific Northwest rain garden," 23 Mar. 2021 The quality of the sound picked up by the JLab Talk Pro is good and the pickup patterns are very useful. — Mark Sparrow, Forbes, "JLab’s Talk Pro Podcast Microphone Comes Packed With Useful Features," 20 Mar. 2021 Worse than a whiskey hangover is realizing your friend with the very useful spiked mace hand is missing. — Richard Rys, Vulture, "The Walking Dead Recap: Game Night," 14 Mar. 2021 For example, Cameron Erving and Blake Bell were both signed in 2020 to pump up the overall depth on offense, and both proved to be very useful as Dallas battled through a slew of injuries. — John Owning, Dallas News, "Film room: 3 free-agent fits for Cowboys’ offense, including a local product for the offensive line," 12 Mar. 2021 However, some runners feel pockets aren't very useful, and sometimes, the extra material is uncomfortable or gets in the way. — Sian Babish, chicagotribune.com, "The best running short for women," 1 Mar. 2021 In recent years, the B-1B has served as a close air support aircraft over Afghanistan, with its high speed, long loiter time, and large bomb load proving to be very useful in support of U.S. troops on the ground. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The Air Force is Sending B-1B Bombers to Norway for a Not-So-Subtle Reason," 12 Feb. 2021

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

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Last Updated

7 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Useful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/useful. Accessed 14 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for useful

useful

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of useful

: helping to do or achieve something

See the full definition for useful in the English Language Learners Dictionary

useful

adjective

use·ful | \ ˈyüs-fəl

Kids Definition of useful

1 : capable of being put to use : usable useful scraps of material

2 : helpful in doing or achieving something If you are ever planning a vacation, you may find it useful to acquire a guidebook …— Lemony Snicket, The Miserable Mill