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

For some, secured cards — where consumers put down a security deposit that functions like a credit limit on a regular credit card — could be a useful option to build a credit history without the same eligibility requirements as unsecured credit cards, Chen says. —Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026

My Health Passport can also be useful to help anyone with a disability better communicate with doctors and other professionals. —Kat McGowan, NPR, 28 Mar. 2026

But those discoveries weren’t transformed into useful products for tax-payers. —Tomas J. Philipson, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026

That's unusual for a drone in this category and genuinely useful for anyone shooting in tight spaces or urban environments. —Omar Kardoudi march 27, New Atlas, 27 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