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 Howl Campfires View 9 Images View gallery - 9 images Colorado startup Howl Campfires fired its best shot at a real problem upon its launch: the lack of any useful warmth coming from a portable propane fire. New Atlas, 16 Feb. 2025 The mileage rate is useful to know at tax time for those traveling for volunteer work and others. Susan Tompor, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2025 Sometimes your phone needs to know your location to provide a useful service, like telling the Uber driver where to pick you up. Kelvin Chan, The Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2025 One of the most useful sets of trinkets to find are the Totems of Rightful Rulership. Ryan Woodrow, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for useful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for useful
Adjective
  • With that, Nvidia has achieved measurable generational gains in AI performance, which will become more relevant as the technology becomes more applicable to everyday users.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Those searching for catharsis or an applicable remedy to their own heartaches and existential muddles will find only one definitive answer—that no person can ever fully know her own mind.
    Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • No information about specific discounts is available online, but when contacted by USA TODAY last week, some Joann stores said that base discounts ranged between 10-20%, with some Christmas items being discounted as high as 75%.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Make reservations well before your stay to ensure the set will be available.
    Robin Raven, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The hack works for all types of bread but is especially helpful for loaves that don't include preservatives, like homemade and artisanal breads.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Some have helpful ingredients such as:45 Aloe Caffeine Cucumber Green tea Retinol 4.
    Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the emphasis on centralized hydrogen hubs is giving way to onsite and distributed hydrogen production, a more practical approach for businesses looking to decarbonize without relying on extensive infrastructure.
    Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Another practical must-have for travelers are Ross J Barr’s Calm, Healing or Breathe Patches (£15), which are a convenient and natural way to help alleviate stress headaches and tension, heal aches and pains or ease respiratory problems.
    Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • That midfield, while working well, remains very functional.
    Matt Woosnam, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025
  • Make the area as functional as possible by including a dining space for entertainment and lounge chairs for relaxation.
    Macie Stump, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Still, Kurtzer—who has been prescribing testosterone to women for years—hopes research will one day confirm that TRT is as beneficial as some of her patients claim.
    Angela Haupt, TIME, 19 Feb. 2025
  • There’s little debate that racking up lots of relatively easy aerobic exercise is good for your health, but the question is whether Zone 2 is uniquely beneficial compared to slightly easier or harder workouts.
    Alex Hutchinson, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • And, in the interplay of pure and applied math, here the practical, real-world need is motivating new mathematics?
    Siobhan Roberts, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
  • In 1994, the applied mathematician Peter Shor was inspired by a recent oracle result (opens a new tab) to develop a fast quantum algorithm for factoring large numbers — a task whose apparent difficulty underlies the cryptographic systems that keep our online data secure.
    Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • This is a relatively rare occurrence in pancreatic cancer — only about 20% of pancreatic cancers are operable, which is the only treatment that can stop this type of cancer.
    Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Had the reservoir been operable, water pressure in the Palisades would have lasted longer on Tuesday night, said former DWP general manager Martin Adams, an expert on the city’s water system.
    Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025

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“Useful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/useful. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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