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use·ful·ness | \ ˈyüs-fəl-nəs 
\
\Definition of usefulness
: the quality of having utility and especially practical worth or applicability
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Examples of usefulness in a Sentence
the well-known usefulness of thick phone books as seat boosters for short diners
Recent Examples on the Web Paul Hunt, a typeface designer at Adobe who is working remotely from Melbourne, Australia, can vouch for the usefulness of emoji during the pandemic.
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Anne Quito, Quartz at Work, "The angst of remote workers is evident in their emoji," 28 July 2020 If a tie has outlived its usefulness, this is a time to let go and move forward.
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BostonGlobe.com, "Horoscope," 10 July 2020 And after hearing early conflicting messages about the usefulness of masks, some people may just be confused about when and where to don one.
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Erin Blakemore, National Geographic, "How to make masks that everyone will want to wear," 10 July 2020 The conversation immediately becomes narrowed and flattened—Trump’s decision to waddle into the debate all but solidifies the limitations of the conversation’s usefulness.
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Nick Martin, The New Republic, "After the End of Native Mascots," 10 July 2020 But marketing experts say the usefulness of such apps varies wildly, depending on the product.
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Washington Post, "Virtual try-ons are replacing fitting rooms during the pandemic," 9 July 2020 While the cargo version of the jets are still very useful, the passenger version has apparently outlived its usefulness.
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Chris Isidore, CNN, "Time could be running out for the 747," 5 July 2020 Long delays in test results can limit their usefulness.
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Allie Morris, Dallas News, "Overwhelming demand for COVID-19 tests, long waits for results hamper Texas effort to control spread," 30 June 2020 With pro-level knife ownership comes a responsibility to keep pointy objects carefully stored, both to protect the blade from dings that blunt its usefulness and to protect others from unexpected jabs.
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Popular Science, "Affordable knife blocks to keep your blades safe and sharp," 10 June 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'usefulness.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Time Traveler for usefulness
The first known use of usefulness was in 1618
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