utilize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Usage
What is another way to say utilize? To utilize something is to put it to use or turn it to profitable account. How is utilize different from use? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
- half-utilized adjective
- nonutilized adjective
- overutilize verb (used with object)
- preutilizable adjective
- preutilize verb (used with object)
- quasi-utilized adjective
- reutilize verb (used with object)
- underutilized adjective
- unutilizable adjective
- unutilized adjective
- utilizable adjective
- utilization noun
- utilizer noun
- well-utilized adjective
Etymology
Origin of utilize
First recorded in 1800–10; from French utiliser, equivalent to utile “useful” ( see utile) + -iser -ize
Explanation
To utilize is to use what you have or what's available, and it's a three-syllable word meaning the same thing as the one-syllable "use." The word utilize is often a more formal way to express "putting something to use." If you don’t have time to go to the store but you need to come up with a science project, you might utilize what's already in the kitchen. Most of the time you can use the verb use as a synonym for utilize. You can utilize a shorter word to make a sentence easier to read.
Vocabulary lists containing utilize
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Content Summary 4.1: Causes and Consequences of Iberian Maritime Exploration and Colonialism
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The doctrine “is relevant to attempts by taxpayers to mechanically utilize the provisions of the Tax Code to obtain a benefit not intended by Congress,” wrote Judge Michael Murphy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
“We expect to fully utilize New Glenn fairing capacity as we progress through our orbital launch plans,” AST SpaceMobile CEO Abel Avellan said during an earnings call last month.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026
“Cybersecurity will need to utilize AI, because AI is being used by cybercriminals,” Arnie Bellini, a tech entrepreneur and the chair of cybersecurity firm ConnectSecure, told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026
Because of this, solar cells can only utilize about one-third of incoming sunlight.
From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026
They finally said that after a year of being fed through a tube, my system can’t utilize regular food for a while.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
