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

• actionable
• applicable
• applicative
• applied
• functional
• practicable
• practical
• serviceable
• ultrapractical
• usable
• useable
• workable
• working

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

The original system has evolved significantly since its introduction, with specialized needles now available including the Fast Pour, which is especially useful at restaurants, and Vintage needles designed for older corks. —Claudia Alarcón, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025

By David Kessler Ever since the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk realized that GLP-1 drugs were useful for more than diabetes, doctors and researchers have struggled to answer a deceptively simple question: Who should be taking them? —David Kessler, The Atlantic, 13 May 2025

Some find supplements useful in muscle repair and recovery. —Health, 12 May 2025

Projects are useful for any tasks in which a checklist doesn’t quite cut it, such as a home renovation. —PC Magazine, 12 May 2025

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