utilize

verb

uti·​lize ˈyü-tə-ˌlīz 

utilized; utilizing

transitive verb

: to make use of : turn to practical use or account

I'm a great person for utilizing waste power

—Robert Frost

utilizable

ˈyü-tə-ˌlī-zə-bəl 

adjective

utilization

ˌyü-tə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

utilizer

ˈyü-tə-ˌlī-zər 

noun

Synonyms

• use
• apply
• exploit
• employ

Choose the Right Synonym for utilize

use, employ, utilize mean to put into service especially to attain an end.

use implies availing oneself of something as a means or instrument to an end.

willing to use any means to achieve her ends

employ suggests the use of a person or thing that is available but idle, inactive, or disengaged.

looking for better ways to employ their skills

utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.

an old wooden bucket utilized as a planter

Examples of utilize in a Sentence

Many of the library's resources are not utilized by townspeople.

we must utilize all the tools at our disposal

Recent Examples on the Web

Toulouse now intends to go a step further and achieve micrometer-scale printing resolution while utilizing biodegradable materials compatible with living cells. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025

Suarez also has sought to prevent people from living on sailboats, including by calling for the removal of a dock that boaters utilized to access food and water on land. —Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025

The lawmakers say this claim is misleading, adding that the office should be able to respond to communications by utilizing non-furloughed employees or prioritizing carryover funding at its disposal. —Melina Khan, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025

Decentralizing these trials means utilizing the virtual and at-home care innovations that rural health systems have been using for years. —Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French utiliser, from utile

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for utilize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

utilize

verb

uti·​lize ˈyüt-ᵊl-ˌīz 

utilized; utilizing

: to make use of especially for a certain job

utilization

ˌyüt-ᵊl-ə-ˈzā-shən 

noun