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 of utilize

• 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

And perhaps the most remarkable part of all, this life-changing training comes at no cost to the over 1,000 students who utilize it each week. —Madison Sawyer, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025

Flights will utilize an Airbus A319 aircraft, which accommodates 156 passengers. —Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Nov. 2025

Minnesota’s Niron Magnetics is one of the players pursuing alternate paths, recently breaking ground on its first plant with magnets made from iron nitride—utilizing iron from domestic steelmaking and nitrogen from the fertilizer industry. —Jordan Blum, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2025

Jalen Hurts continues to be a dual-threat, utilizing his legs and arms to keep drives alive, while Saquon Barkley provides a physical rushing presence that wears down defenses and protects the football. —Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 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