Definition of usefulnext
1
2
as in available
capable of or suitable for being used for a particular purpose I've found this tool really useful for making sure all my pictures are hung straight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in helpful
providing service or assistance hopefully, the consultant's financial advice will prove useful in planning for our retirement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of useful The matchup offers a useful contrast. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 Stability without democracy is a replicable model that could normalize the management of useful authoritarian governments worldwide. Boris Muñoz, Time, 3 Apr. 2026 These services don’t have systems to ensure transparency, fair decision-making, and useful appeal processes for closed accounts. Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026 This is particularly useful in tasks that require precision. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for useful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for useful
Adjective
  • Garden admission is applicable for nonmembers.
    Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Stanford School of Medicine prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
  • With abundant nutrients available, algal growth can explode, reducing oxygen levels and harming aquatic life.
    Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The helpful trine between the Moon in your private 12th house and Jupiter in your cautious 8th house offers astrological support regarding tender topics.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Overall the staff is friendly and helpful in accommodating specific needs.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Your big vision is about to meet a practical checkpoint.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • His practical advice fares better than both his theories and his pallid attempts at profundity.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Soft pastel shades—think mint, or light pink—adorn the walls, and there are rain showers in the simple-yet-functional bathrooms.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The wearable design itself is kept simple and functional.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Companion planting is the practice of growing different plants together in mutually beneficial combinations.
    Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Evaluate both carefully, then, before getting started, and consider the pros and cons of splitting the funds between both account types, as that can also be beneficial for many savers right now.
    Matt Richardson, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Efforts to enable reversible, two-way actuation have led to the development of systems such as semi-crystalline networks and liquid crystalline elastomers, which depend on structural alignment under applied stress.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Scott received her master's in leadership from Belhaven University and has a bachelor's in applied psychology from Christian Brothers University.
    Lucas Finton, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The facility’s dish machines were not fully operable.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Smoke alarms should also be checked and operable, the FDNY said.
    Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Useful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/useful. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on useful

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster