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
From the M-W Editors
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 of useful from the Web
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This act of police and government proves that peaceful demonstration would not be useful anymore.
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But a select few can translate it to Twitter or to writing droll personal essays or charming useful and powerful people.
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That suggests the people coming in now are still useful enough to exert downward pressure on the wages of those who are working.
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This can be useful for systems that are forecast to develop quickly near land.
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The White House has said such back channel communications are useful and discreet.
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The White House has said such back channel communications are useful and discreet.
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Even with the current synthesis method, the new vancomycin should be medicinally useful, the study said.
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The result is a unique and useful bit of tech, enough like a laptop to take over for one, and with tablet tricks to sweeten the deal.
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.
1595
First Known Use of useful
1595
USEFUL Defined for English Language Learners
useful
playDefinition of useful for English Language Learners
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: helping to do or achieve something
USEFUL Defined for Kids
useful
playDefinition of useful for Students
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
usefully
\-fə-lē\ adverbusefulness
nounLearn More about useful
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for useful Spanish Central: Translation of useful Nglish: Translation of useful for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of useful for Arabic speakers
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