useful

adjective

use·​ful ˈyüs-fəl 

1

: capable of being put to use

especially : serviceable for an end or purpose

useful tools

2

: of a valuable or productive kind

do something useful with your life

usefully

ˈyüs-fə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of useful

• applicable
• practical
• applied
• applicative

Examples of useful in a Sentence

Does anyone have any useful suggestions?

It can be useful to know CPR.

The Internet is useful for finding information quickly.

She has become one of the team's most useful players.

Why don't you do something useful with your life?

Recent Examples on the Web

Her special talent was to make historic gardening techniques and designs accessible for the average gardener, championing the potager—which combines flowers with useful, edible plants—and creating gardens for Elton John and the then Prince of Wales. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

But, as is true before someone develops a terminal medical condition, advance planning is most useful while people can still articulate what matters to them and exercise meaningful choices about what comes next. — Nancy Forster-Holt, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026

That’s particularly useful for an anthology’s lifespan online today. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026

Amazon doesn't offer physical coupons, but its digital ones are just as useful and easier to use. — Ryley Amond, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing useful

• come in useful
• come in useful/helpful
• make oneself useful
• prove (to be) useful
• useful idiot
• useful life

Kids Definition

useful

adjective

use·​ful ˈyüs-fəl 

1

: capable of being put to use : usable

useful scraps of material

2

: having practical value

a useful invention

usefully

-fə-lē 

adverb

usefulness noun