useful

adjective

use·​ful ˈyüs-fəl 

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

usefully

ˈyüs-fə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of useful

• applicable
• practical
• applied
• applicative

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

Nuclear spins at the diamond’s surface need to remain measurable for sufficient time to produce a useful signal. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026

The useful question is whether your choices reflect what matters to you today or an older definition of success. — Angela C. Hill, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026

In addition to being sources of information about scientific progress, assessment reports are also intended to be directly useful for planning and policymaking at all levels. — Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026

The knowledge of how lunar craters form and evolve could prove useful as humans plot their return to the lunar surface for the first time in more than half a century. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing useful

• come in useful
• come in useful/helpful
• make oneself useful
• prove (to be) useful
• useful idiot
• useful life

Kids Definition

useful

adjective

use·​ful ˈyüs-fəl 

1

: capable of being put to use : usable

useful scraps of material

2

: having practical value

a useful invention

usefully

-fə-lē 

adverb

usefulness noun