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 While Penicillium species are mostly harmless and often useful – cheesemaking, penicillin – some Aspergillus strains are harmful to human health. New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025 Actor Tokens have some special system properties that Mollema realized could be useful to an attacker when combined with another vulnerability. Kevin Purdy, ArsTechnica, 20 Sep. 2025 Pursuing further the idea of viewing AI as a collaborator rather than a competitor, a savvy therapist will realize that pairing up with AI is a useful means of augmenting their therapeutic practice. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 The difference is that composing while in motion may be a particularly useful way to address a crisis in creativity. Karen Palmer september 19, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for useful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for useful
Adjective
  • By improving this functional, scientists can make density functional theory more reliable and widely applicable, enabling more precise simulations across chemistry, materials science, and emerging technologies.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2025
  • If a candidate for office receives time on a broadcast that is deemed to be applicable to the rule, the network must give their opponents the opportunity to appear on the network for a similar amount of time.
    Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • While the app is available and encouraged year-round, the week was a spotlight on the importance of joint effort when conserving the environment, Zirk said.
    Madison Beveridge, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The preview feature, available now for Pro subscribers on mobile, marks OpenAI's latest attempt to make ChatGPT proactive rather than reactive, with the AI model conducting overnight research to deliver morning updates based on user history and connected apps.
    Benj Edwards, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Knowing the extent of your fit as opener can prove helpful in competitive auctions.
    Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2025
  • There were very helpful reporters who would talk to us.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This design appeals to learners who want to prepare for practical everyday interactions rather than pass quizzes.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
  • But, following Russian aggression and the new reality in Ukraine, Gasanova understood the world had changed and that a more practical approach was needed.
    Finbarr Toesland, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • With an inventory that includes different shelving, various chairs, and entertainment staples, the line’s Lillian TV stand jazzes up a furniture piece that all too often prioritizes overly functional, clunky silhouettes.
    Lauren Arzbaecher, Architectural Digest, 23 Sep. 2025
  • The guitars and drums chugged along in tandem, as each band member casually wandered across the surprisingly detailed set, which included rocky levels, spitfire lasers, and even a fully functional waterfall.
    Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Sowed in the fall, these cold-hardy plants work hard to improve soil throughout winter by decreasing compaction, preventing erosion, providing habitat for beneficial insects, and keeping weeds from taking over.
    Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Raw garlic contains more allicin, while cooked garlic still supplies antioxidants and other beneficial compounds.
    Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • With a PhD in applied physics from Columbia, Ranade said that in his time as a student, most of his classmates either were in finance or major tech companies like Google or Meta.
    Aman Kidwai, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • That includes providing students with applied and work-based learning experiences in high school, as well as career exposure and exploration opportunities that begin in age-appropriate ways in middle school.
    Matt Gandal, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • According to a report by the US Energy Information Administration, Russia has a total of 36 operable nuclear reactors with a capacity of 27 gigawatts.
    Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Approved by voters hoodwinked by false cost estimates, the project was supposed to be operable by 2020 at a cost of $33 billion.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Useful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/useful. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.

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