useful

adjective

use·​ful ˈyüs-fəl How to pronounce useful (audio)
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 adverb

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
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.
Power, or lack thereof, is not a useful metric because a Mazda Miata is a sports car, and so is a Porsche 918 Spyder, but not a Bugatti Veyron, which is a hypercar. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2025 Researchers are converting plastic waste into useful carbon products that could serve as essential parts for next-generation batteries and supercapacitors. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2025 Outside of the poultry or meat processing industry, Carmody said the new motor and technology would be useful anywhere conveyors are installed. Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2025 The order was welcomed by industry groups and by former regulators in both political parties, and could be especially useful for data centers that aim to produce some of their energy on-site with natural gas. Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for useful

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of useful was in 1595

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Useful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/useful. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

useful

adjective
use·​ful ˈyüs-fəl How to pronounce useful (audio)
1
: capable of being put to use : usable
useful scraps of material
2
: having practical value
a useful invention
usefully adverb
usefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on useful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!