use

[ verb yooz or, for past tense form of 9, yoost; noun yoos ]

/ verb yuz or, for past tense form of 9, yust; noun yus /

See synonyms for: use / used / uses / using on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), used, us·ing.

to employ for some purpose; put into service; make use of: to use a knife.

to avail oneself of; apply to one's own purposes: to use the facilities.

to expend or consume in use: We have used the money provided.

to treat or behave toward: He did not use his employees with much consideration.

to take unfair advantage of; exploit: to use people to gain one's own ends.

to drink, smoke, or ingest habitually: to use drugs.

to habituate or accustom.

Archaic. to practice habitually or customarily; make a practice of.

verb (used without object), used, us·ing.

to be accustomed or customarily found (used with an infinitive expressed or understood, and, except in archaic use, now only in the past): He used to go every day.

Archaic. to resort, stay, or dwell customarily.

noun

the act of employing, using, or putting into service: the use of tools.

the state of being employed or used.

an instance or way of employing or using something: proper use of the tool; the painter's use of color.

a way of being employed or used; a purpose for which something is used: He was of temporary use. The instrument has different uses.

the power, right, or privilege of employing or using something: to lose the use of the right eye; to be denied the use of a library card.

service or advantage in or for being employed or used; utility or usefulness: of no practical use.

help; profit; resulting good: What's the use of pursuing the matter?

occasion or need, as for something to be employed or used: Would you have any use for another calendar?

continued, habitual, or customary employment or practice; custom: to follow the prevailing use of such occasions.

Law.

the enjoyment of property, as by the employment, occupation, or exercise of it.
the benefit or profit of lands and tenements in the possession of another who simply holds them for the beneficiary.
the equitable ownership of land to which the legal title is in another's name.

Liturgy. the distinctive form of ritual or of any liturgical observance used in a particular church, diocese, community, etc.

usual or customary experience.

Verb Phrases

use up,

to consume entirely.
to exhaust of vigor or usefulness; finish: By the end of the war he felt used up and sick of life.

SYNONYMS FOR use

3 exhaust, waste.

7 familiarize, inure.

12 employment, utilization, application, exercise.

13 handling.

See synonyms for use on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

In our third teacher-created PSAT practice test there are new and unique vocabulary terms you may have never heard of! Can you guess what they mean?

Question 1 of 10

seclusion

a false belief or opinion.

the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.

the state of being isolated, kept apart, or withdrawn into solitude.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for use

have no use for,

to have no occasion or need for: She appears to have no use for the city.
to refuse to tolerate; discount: He had no use for his brother.
to have a distaste for; dislike: He has no use for dictators.

make use of, to use for one's own purposes; employ:Charitable organizations will make use of your old furniture and clothing.

of no use, of no advantage or help: It's of no use to look for that missing earring. It's no use asking her to go. Also no use.

put to use, to apply; employ to advantage: What a shame that no one has put that old deserted mansion to use!

Origin of use

First recorded in 1175–1225; (verb) Middle English usen, from Old French user, from Latin ūsus, past participle of ūtī “to use”; (noun) Middle English, from Old French, from Latin ūsus “act of using a thing, application, employment,” equivalent to ūt-, stem of ūtī “to use” + -tus suffix of verbal action, with tt becoming s

words often confused with use

See usage.

OTHER WORDS FROM use

mul·ti·use, adjectivenon·use, nounnon·us·ing, adjectivere·use, verb, re·used, re·us·ing, noun

un·der·use, verb (used with object), un·der·used, un·der·us·ing, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH use

1. use , utilize (see synonym study at the current entry)2. use , usage (see usage note at the current entry)

Words nearby use

USCRC, U.S.C. Supp., US Customary System, USDA, USDAW, use, use-by date, USECC, used, used to, useful

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

WHEN TO USE

What is another way to say use?

To use something is to employ it for some purpose or to put it into service. How is use different from utilize? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Example sentences from the Web for use

There is no such thing as speech so hateful or offensive it somehow “justifies” or “legitimizes” the use of violence.
Trolls and Martyrdom: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie|Arthur Chu|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In Israel, however, a new law took effect January 1st that banned the use of underweight models.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In the meantime, Epstein has tried to use his charitable projects to float him back to the top.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking|M.L. Nestel|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And in order for them to realize their vision, they are willing to use any means.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive|Ayaan Hirsi Ali|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Following the Apatow references, Marge informs Homer that she needs to use the “Porta Potty.”
Here’s the Lost Judd Apatow ‘Simpsons’ Episode, Penned by Judd Apatow|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They use these almadias for catching fish, and for transporting themselves up or down the river.
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. II|Robert Kerr
Many say that the use of opium is no evil, but those who say that have never known India, or else they are blind.
Letters of a Javanese Princess|Raden Adjeng Kartini
Human nature is a hateful, ugly thing; there is no use in thinking about it.
The Good Comrade|Una L. Silberrad
It'd take all he's worth to feed him through the winter, and he'd be no use to you at all.
The Hills of Desire|Richard Aumerle Maher
Caze I ain' use ter de po' w'ite trash en dey ain' use ter me.
The Battle Ground|Ellen Glasgow

British Dictionary definitions for use

use

verb (juːz) (tr)

to put into service or action; employ for a given purposeto use a spoon to stir with

to make a practice or habit of employing; exercisehe uses his brain

to behave towardsto use a friend well

to behave towards in a particular way for one's own endshe uses people

to consume, expend, or exhaustthe engine uses very little oil

mainly US and Canadian to partake of (alcoholic drink, drugs, etc) or smoke (tobacco, marijuana, etc)

noun (juːs)

the act of using or the state of being usedthe carpet wore out through constant use

the ability, right, or permission to use

the occasion to use; needI have no use for this paper

an instance or manner of using

usefulness; advantageit is of no use to complain

custom; practice; habitlong use has inured him to it

the purpose for which something is used; end

Christianity a distinctive form of liturgical or ritual observance, esp one that is traditional in a Church or group of Churches

the enjoyment of property, land, etc, by occupation or by deriving revenue or other benefit from it

law the beneficial enjoyment of property the legal title to which is held by another person as trustee

law an archaic word for trust (def. 7)

philosophy logic linguistics the occurrence of an expression in such a context that it performs its own linguistic function rather than being itself referred to. In " Fido " refers to Fido, the name Fido is 'used' only on the second occurrence, first being mentionedCompare mention (def. 7) See also material mode

have no use for

to have no need of
to have a contemptuous dislike for

make use of

to employ; use
to exploit (a person)

Word Origin for use

C13: from Old French user to use, from Latin ūsus having used, from ūtī to use

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with use

use

In addition to the idioms beginning with use

used to
use one's head
use up

also see:

have no use for
make use of
no use
put to good use

Also see underused.

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

use

verb (used with object), used, us·ing.

verb (used without object), used, us·ing.

noun

Verb Phrases

SYNONYMS FOR use

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Idioms for use

Origin of use

words often confused with use

OTHER WORDS FROM use

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH use

Words nearby use

WHEN TO USE

What is another way to say use?

Example sentences from the Web for use

British Dictionary definitions for use

verb (juːz) (tr)

noun (juːs)

Word Origin for use

Idioms and Phrases with use

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

use

verb (used with object), used, us·ing.

verb (used without object), used, us·ing.

noun

Verb Phrases

SYNONYMS FOR use

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Idioms for use

Origin of use

words often confused with use

OTHER WORDS FROM use

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH use

Words nearby use

WHEN TO USE

What is another way to say use?

Content related to use

Words related to use

Example sentences from the Web for use

British Dictionary definitions for use

verb (juːz) (tr)

noun (juːs)

Word Origin for use

Idioms and Phrases with use