use 1 of 2

Definition of usenext
1
2
as in to treat
to behave toward in a stated way the factory workers were underpaid and poorly used by their employers

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

use

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb use contrast with its synonyms?

The words employ and utilize are common synonyms of use. While all three words 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

Where would employ be a reasonable alternative to use?

Although the words employ and use have much in common, 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

When is it sensible to use utilize instead of use?

While in some cases nearly identical to use, utilize may suggest the discovery of a new, profitable, or practical use for something.

an old wooden bucket utilized as a planter

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 use
Verb
Don’t forget to use code INSTYLE25 at checkout for 25 percent off your order. Michelle Baricevic, InStyle, 14 Jan. 2026 The ability to reproduce accurate human-like motion using minimal data could significantly lower the cost and complexity of deploying adaptive robots across industries. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
Recommendations include cleaning it every other use or putting the basket, tray, and pan in the dishwasher. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026 Amenities will include private shuttles to and from the slopes and use of bikes to cycle around town. Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for use
Recent Examples of Synonyms for use
Verb
  • One final research experiment will take place upon landing, as the crew will forgo the typical medical and mobility assistance normally utilized by astronauts following spaceflight while their bodies reacclimate to gravity.
    Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 13 Jan. 2026
  • But more importantly, this would give the team cost control at the center position and reshape the cap sheet while utilizing money that could be earmarked for Mathurin on a center.
    Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • If that variability truly influences how a patient will fare with different treatments, psychiatry may need to advance how depression is diagnosed and thus treated, Bentzley said.
    CNN.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
  • Miyazaki’s singular style — his hand-drawn, painterly aesthetic and his thematic focus on a child’s-eye view of morally complex, humanistic tales — has been treated as the sole Asian animation worthy of entry into the Oscar canon.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Outside the capital, guerrilla groups and organized crime syndicates are exploiting the power vacuum along Venezuela’s borders and in its resource-rich interior.
    Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
  • The final part of the dormancy evolution puzzle is what ecologists refer to as the ecological niche a species occupies — the specific set of conditions that species evolved to exploit or the conditions under which that species is likely to be more successful when compared to other species.
    Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Advanced chips The company’s high-performance computing division, which includes artificial intelligence and 5G applications, made up the majority of sales in the October-December quarter at 55%.
    Dylan Butts, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2026
  • The use of generative AI to automatically fill out (and, in some cases, even submit) applications is harmful to everyone; employers are unable to filter through the noise, and legitimate candidates have a harder time getting noticed—much less advancing to an interview.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 15 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • As a result, the rearrangement was largely considered impossible to use in modern asymmetric catalysis, despite its potential usefulness.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Their usefulness remains an open question At the back of a conference hall at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, a humanoid robot twitched through a preprogrammed wave for a crowd of cell phone cameras—a classic scene of high spectacle and unclear utility at CES.
    Eric Sullivan, Scientific American, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • If black isn’t to your liking, choose cobalt blue, deep burgundy, or chocolate brown instead.
    Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
  • If Dowdle doesn’t find any deals to his liking, the Panthers would bring him back at the right price.
    Joseph Person, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Social media platforms can verify age by either requesting copies of identification documents, using a third party to apply age estimation technology to an account holder’s face, or making inferences from data already available, such as how long an account has been active.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 16 Jan. 2026
  • The same doesn't apply to any amphibians who might want to join her in the night, however.
    Phil Boucher, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Perception is handled through a dual-lidar setup consisting of Halo and Sentinel systems.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Questions regarding vehicle maintenance and specifications are handled by the City of Chicago's Fleet & Facility Management department, which manages all municipal equipment.
    Jermont Terry, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Use.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/use. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.

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