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

These Rains cargo pants are a genius way to stay dry in style on a wet, chilly day, with a waterproof exterior, plus useful features like a comfortable drawstring waist and large rain-safe pockets. —Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026

Red clover — Another non-native, but useful as a cover crop and fodder for livestock. —Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 7 Mar. 2026

Such a hearing is useful only because the players, Walz and Ellison, were grilled by people not obsequiously invested in them and who don’t hold back their accusations of malfeasance. —Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 7 Mar. 2026

January 20 – February 18 New ideas connect friends in surprisingly useful ways. —Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 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