as in useful
capable of being put to use or account
She found his theories utilitarian in constructing her own.
of, relating to, or being a method of computer programming in which each step of the solution to a problem is contained in a separate subprogram
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Recent Examples of utilitarian
However, designers say these utilitarian items can actually make an entryway more memorable—and organized.
—
Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 15 Mar. 2026
At their algorithmic heart, dating apps are utilitarian.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
After the war, aesthetic values slowly started to change, switching to a utilitarian, unornamented standard and ushering in the era of international and midcentury-modern styles pioneered by visionaries like Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
But even with that thaw, interpersonal relations come a distant second in her utilitarian priorities.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for utilitarian
Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 15 Mar. 2026
At their algorithmic heart, dating apps are utilitarian.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
After the war, aesthetic values slowly started to change, switching to a utilitarian, unornamented standard and ushering in the era of international and midcentury-modern styles pioneered by visionaries like Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
But even with that thaw, interpersonal relations come a distant second in her utilitarian priorities.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for utilitarian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for utilitarian
Adjective
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At present, scramjet engine development is one of the hardest engineering problems to solve, so any boost to that will be very useful indeed.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
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Ever find OpenAI’s most useful tools are spread across multiple, stand-alone services?—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Apart from search and rescue, these high-endurance drones could prove beneficial for large-scale environmental monitoring and disaster prevention.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
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Jared Perlo Ornstein told NBC News that Humans First had been incubated by the Center for AI Safety and had received an initial loan that would be paid back after the group raised donations from individuals who cared about fostering safe and beneficial AI.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Utilitarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/utilitarian. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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