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 While most pencil cases can hold 20 to 50 pencils, some pencil cases have the capacity to hold more than 100 writing utensils. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 June 2025 What is the proper dining etiquette with regard to the hand that is not holding a utensil? Judith Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 June 2025 All the utensils are made of high-grade stainless steel and high-temperature-resistant silicone with a gunmetal finish. Nora Colomer May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 6 June 2025 Elbows bump, sauces splatter, and hands fly as everyone dives in at once, with no utensils and no formalities. Renée Morrison, AFAR Media, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for utensil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for utensil
Noun
  • Human smugglers, often linked to drug cartels, have used tunnels, ladders and power tools to cross walls.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 26 June 2025
  • On top of that, with a variety of third-party tools available on the market, business owners can also have their pick, according to RMIT Vietnam’s Parida.
    Bernice Ooi, CNBC, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • While the price tag on the devices is modest, a tariff will add to it, and the group is looking to scale aggressively in a short period of time.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 20 June 2025
  • That device will operate similarly to the Meta product but better synchronize with the rest of the Apple ecosystem.
    Ani Freedman, Fortune, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • In a public event on Monday, June 23, the astronomers who operate the powerful observatory released Rubin's debut images showcasing just exactly what the instrument can do.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 June 2025
  • These instruments are very good at identifying the direction of such a signal and getting rid of it.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Utensil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/utensil. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on utensil

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