use 1 of 2

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

Examples 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
President-elect Donald Trump is prepared to use the U.S. military to reclaim the Panama Canal and take Greenland. Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Jan. 2025 Arlington police would like to remind pedestrians to always use traffic lights or dedicated crosswalks when crossing a street. Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
Parents in particular are worried about the repercussions of long-term social media use, underscored by the success of Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation. Olof Schybergson, Fortune Asia, 8 Jan. 2025 The Justice Department has been enforcing more than a dozen such agreements over the past four years after Attorney General Merrick Garland reversed a Trump administration policy limiting the use of consent decrees. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for use 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for use
Verb
  • What to Know The nationwide surge in the usage of Starlink followed a Forbes report, published in December, that noted 20,000 Iranians were utilizing the service to bypass government restrictions online and censorship.
    Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The defense will be improved because Thibodeau will know the best way to utilize Towns on that end, and Bridges will have a year under his belt in his role.
    James L. Edwards III, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Currently, most conservation frameworks, such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), treat all giraffes as one species with nine subspecies, so these latest findings suggest this classification scheme should be revised.
    GrrlScientist, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
  • The county was deploying road crews to treat and clear its primary roads — paved roads — with a sand and salt mixture and plows as the snow comes in, according to Kwok.
    Thomas Saccente, arkansasonline.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Security Experts Speak Out About The Latest PayPal Attacks A number of security professionals have now spoken out about the latest attack methodology being exploited by these PayPal threat actors.
    Davey Winder, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
  • The reason: The Chargers are strong in the areas the Chiefs typically like to exploit.
    Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Things To Consider When Choosing an Au Pair An au pair can offer a unique cultural experience but comes with upfront fees, so make sure to budget for application costs, insurance, and matching services.
    Christina Crawford, Parents, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Interested filmmakers and investors are encouraged to consult the guidelines available on the FDC website for detailed eligibility criteria and application procedures.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Within a few years, the ISS will outlive its usefulness, and once it is abandoned there will be nothing to keep it at the proper altitude.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 13 Jan. 2025
  • It’s designed for researchers, students, and academics, but its usefulness extends far beyond the academic world.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • There’s an image of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who was arrested in 2022 for not wearing her hijab to the Iranian morality police’s liking and died in custody under suspicious circumstances, tugging on the Grand Ayatollah’s beard with her hair free-flowing.
    Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 9 Jan. 2025
  • Working in batches or if your air fryer is large enough, fry salmon, broccoli and potatoes together for 10-12 minutes at 400F., until salmon is cooked to your liking. Serve salmon with potatoes and broccoli and drizzle the remaining honey-miso mixture throughout.
    Fox News, Fox News, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • It was created to soothe skin and enable users to apply other products for a more expansive routine.
    Jennifer Weil, WWD, 14 Jan. 2025
  • Firefly Bulk Create is powered by Adobe Firefly Services, a set of APIs for generative AI tasks such as resizing assets, or swapping backgrounds, and applying the changes to thousands of pieces of content with one action.
    Joan Verdon, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Once again, Gavin Newsom may have to campaign on his way to defeating the effort easily, instead of being 100 percent focused on rebuilding the Los Angeles area and continuing to handle the fifth largest economy on the planet.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 18 Jan. 2025
  • But alternate routes have also worsened traffic in some neighborhoods, where small roads can be ill equipped to handle many cars.
    Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 18 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near use

Cite this Entry

“Use.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/use. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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