Synonym Chooser

How is the word utensil different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of utensil are appliance, implement, instrument, and tool. While all these words mean "a relatively simple device for performing work," utensil applies to a device used in domestic work or some routine unskilled activity.

kitchen utensils

When is appliance a more appropriate choice than utensil?

While the synonyms appliance and utensil are close in meaning, appliance refers to a tool or instrument utilizing a power source and suggests portability or temporary attachment.

household appliances

When would implement be a good substitute for utensil?

The words implement and utensil can be used in similar contexts, but implement may apply to anything necessary to perform a task.

crude stone implements
farm implements

When might instrument be a better fit than utensil?

While in some cases nearly identical to utensil, instrument suggests a device capable of delicate or precise work.

the dentist's instruments

How do tool and implement relate to one another, in the sense of utensil?

Tool suggests an implement adapted to facilitate a definite kind or stage of work and suggests the need of skill more strongly than implement.

a carpenter's tools

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 utensil Parents name each item of food and utensil that the child uses at mealtime, in order to content a vocabulary word with a real-world object. Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 20 Oct. 2025 How to Remove Grease from a Range Hood Before beginning the cleaning process, clear the cooktop or stove of any utensils and ensure the burners are off. Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2025 Once opened, air exposure and cross-contamination from utensils can introduce moisture and bacteria, shortening their shelf life. Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2025 People beat on drums and toddlers banged on kitchen pans with utensils. Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for utensil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for utensil
Noun
  • For Lauren, the idea for their current AI tool began 25 years ago.
    Tharin Pillay, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
  • But your browser is where all of your work, tools, and context come together.
    Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That means more than one of every eight of Kroger's 103 stores in its Cincinnati-Dayton division (which includes Northern Kentucky) have the digital devices so far.
    Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Nielsen, which tracks television ratings, now includes more modern devices in its tracking, an adjustment that has been expected to show higher sports viewership across the board.
    The Athletic MLB Staff, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • He is also charged with robbery, theft, violation of the Uniform Firearms Act, possessing an instrument of crime, tampering with evidence, abuse of corpse, conspiracy and obstruction of justice, NBC Philadelphia reported.
    Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Busting out a box of instruments that turned the room into a riot of noise, Sheeran then encourage each student to share their unique sound into the mic, from saxophone bleats to fart sounds.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Utensil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/utensil. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on utensil

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